Protests erupt as burqa-clad woman assaults senior doctor

Chikkamagaluru: A disturbing incident at the Aralaguppe Mallegowda District Hospital has sparked protests and heightened tensions within the local medical community. The incident involved the assault of a senior doctor, Dr. Venkatesh, by a woman identified as Taslima, a relative of a patient under treatment.

The altercation began when Taslima’s brother, Irfan, who had been injured in a group scuffle, sought medical attention from Dr. Venkatesh. During the examination, it was alleged that relatives of Irfan gathered and created noise. The doctor then requested the crowd of relatives to leave the consultation room to allow for a more thorough evaluation. Taslima, reportedly incensed by this request, assaulted Dr. Venkatesh. A video of the incident also made rounds. The video showed two burqa clad women involved in an altercation with the Doctor. Eventually, Taslima hurled abuses at Dr. Venkatesh, threw her footwear at him and grabbed him by the collar, creating a scene in the emergency unit.

The situation escalated quickly, leading to Dr. Venkatesh being physically assaulted in front of other hospital staff and patients. The hospital staff, outraged by the incident, responded by staging a protest. They shut down the outpatient department and gathered in front of the district surgeon’s office, demanding immediate action against the assailant and enhanced security measures for medical personnel.

The district surgeon filed a complaint with the local police. He also called for the arrest of Taslima and requested additional police protection for the hospital staff.

An FIR has been filed against Taslima, and initial reports suggest that she has been arrested. The case is under investigation, and the authorities are working to ensure that the incident does not undermine the safety and security of healthcare providers in the region. The situation has drawn significant attention from various organisations and politicians. BJP MLC, C T Ravi took to social media platform, X to criticise the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the woman.