A doctor in India has been suspended after shocking footage showed him repeatedly punching a patient who asked to be spoken to with respect.
Senior Resident Dr. Raghav Narula, who worked at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, northern India, was accused of assaulting the patient, Arjun Panwar, 36, during an altercation on Monday.
Panwar had been admitted to the hospital for breathing difficulties and was resting on a bed after tests when the incident occurred.
He told The Times of India the doctor began speaking to him rudely, using the Hindu word ‘tu’ – a term for ‘you’ that can be disrespectful or overly familiar when used with strangers.
According to Panwar, he then complained about the behavior and asked for respect before an argument ensued, during which the doctor began hitting him.
“After the test, I lay down on an empty bed in [the] pulmonary ward as the doctors advised me to rest for a while,” he told the outlet.
“Mr. Raghav came and started asking me about my medical reports. He called me ‘tu.’ When I asked him if he speaks with his family members the same way, the doctor started beating me.”
Footage recorded by an attendant shows the doctor repeatedly punching the patient as he attempts to shield himself.
Following the incident, Panwar filed a police report, alleging physical assault.
Relatives and friends of the patient gathered outside the hospital and demanded the immediate arrest of the doctor.
The group also threatened to go on an indefinite strike inside the hospital if action wasn’t taken against him.
In a statement, IGMC Medical Superintendent Rahul Rao confirmed that Raghav had been suspended while an inquiry was underway.
“The Senior Resident, Dr. Raghav Narula, has been suspended till further orders. He was found guilty in the preliminary probe,” Rao said.
He added that the state’s Health Minister had requested a report into the matter and that a preliminary version of events had already been sent to the government.
Police are also investigating the matter, according to the Indian Express.
“We have received a complaint from Arjun Singh and have started an investigation. The circumstances under which the alleged assault took place are being probed, and the statements of the accused doctors will be recorded,” Sub-Inspector Dilip Kumar, the investigating officer, told the outlet.
Raghav denied the allegations to the publication, saying, “I did not intend to assault the patient. The patient behaved rudely with me first. I will put my side before the police.”
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