A shocking incident of violence unfolded inside the intensive care unit (ICU) of Rajkot Civil Hospital, where a 28-year-old resident doctor was physically assaulted by a man accompanying a patient's relative. The dispute, which erupted over the protocol for returning an unused unit of blood, led to chaotic scenes and has sparked outrage among the medical fraternity.
Chronology of the ICU Assault
The incident occurred on the night of December 28, though the formal complaint was lodged by Dr. Parth Pandya at the Pradyuman Nagar police station on the following Tuesday. According to the complaint, a man who identified himself as Jaydeep Chavda forcibly entered the ICU without any authorisation or valid entry pass.
Chavda was accompanying a relative of an accident victim named Binay Thapa, who was admitted on December 25 with severe head injuries and underwent surgery. During Thapa's treatment, his relatives were issued two units of blood from the hospital's blood bank. When one unit remained unused, the hospital staff, following standard procedure, requested its return so it could be utilised for other critical patients.
Dispute Escalates into Physical Attack
The situation escalated when Chavda insisted that the staff provide this instruction in writing. He became agitated when they tried to explain the established protocol. Witnesses stated that Chavda began using foul and intimidating language towards the healthcare workers.
Dr. Parth Pandya, a neurosurgery resident who has been with the hospital for six months and previously served in general surgery for three and a half years, intervened to restore order. He asked Chavda to maintain discipline within the sensitive ICU environment. In response, Chavda allegedly assaulted the doctor, knocking him to the ground and threatening to kill him while he was on duty. Security guards were summoned immediately, but the accused fled the scene before they could apprehend him.
Police Investigation and Medical Community's Reaction
Police Inspector Vikram Vasava confirmed that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These sections pertain to obstructing a public servant on duty, using criminal force against a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation. "The mobile phone of the accused is switched off. We are using human intelligence and technical surveillance to locate him. CCTV footage related to the incident has also been seized," Inspector Vasava stated.
The attack provoked immediate anger among resident doctors at the associated PDU Medical College, who staged a sloganeering protest demanding strict and swift action. Hospital Superintendent Monali Makadiya condemned the incident and announced that an inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the matter thoroughly.
In a strong statement, Makadiya highlighted the frequent tension in such settings: "Many times, patients' relatives fail to understand the nature of a doctor's work. For relatives, their admitted patient is the priority, whereas doctors are required to give precedence to critically ill patients." Echoing this demand for safety, the Rajkot chapter of the Gujarat Medical Teachers Association submitted a memorandum urging the government and hospital administration to prioritise the security of medical staff and demanding the arrest of the assailant within 48 hours.
