Tripura: Doctor Beaten Up After Pregnant Woman Dies In IGM Hospital

Dr Dipankar Debnath, was beaten up by family members of a Pregnant Woman after she died in the IGM hospital’s labour room.

Agartala

Doctors and staff at government hospitals in Tripura on Friday threatened to resign en-masse demanding action against people who thrashed a surgeon at the Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital in Agartala.

Dr Dipankar Debnath, a gynaecologist of the IGM hospital was beaten up by family members of a Pregnant Woman patient after she died in the hospital’s labour room in the early hours of Friday, police said.

Dr Debnath is now under treatment at the Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital, where his condition is said to be “out of danger”.

The 25-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, a government hospital, around 1.20 am and she died of cardiac arrest around 2 am on Friday, the police said. Alleging medical negligence, the patient’s family then attacked and seriously injured the doctor.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said stern action will be taken against the persons who attacked the doctor.

Addressing a press conference at his residence, Mr Deb, who is also the home minister of the state, said Dipankar Debnath, a gynaecologist was attacked by a group of people after one patient died in a hospital’s labour room on Thursday late night.

Meanwhile the security has been enhanced in two government hospitals following the brutal attack on the gynaecologist, the chief minister said.

Five persons were arrested in this connection with the incident and produced before the court. But they managed to get interim bail, the chief minister said.

“In spite of being granted interim bail, they are still in jail because they could not produce bail bonds.

The chief minister also appealed to the doctors to not close their chambers or out patient departments (OPD) at the hospitals.

All Tripura Government Doctors Association (ATGDA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Tripura Chapter, in a joint statement on Friday announced that the doctors would close their chambers and refrain from voluntary services such as blood donation and health camps, and threatened to tender mass resignation unless their demands were conceded within a week.

“The doctors are working in the service sector and working hard to keep people well. When the government assures to punish the guilty and enhance security for them, they should normalise the situation,” the chief minister said.