A doctor writes about an unfortunate incident which is not only depressing but really alarming. It is sad that such incidents have become quite common in Bengal, if not the entire country. In my brief medical career so far, I have seen that in every such incident of harassment of medical staff, there has been little or no legal action against the perpetrators of the crime and blatant distortion of facts by the local media. The following note is yet another example that will further discourage bright students to embrace the noble profession.

I want to share something very unfortunate happening to my family the day before yesterday. By profession my husband is an anaesthesiologist posted in midnapore medical college. But due to acute crisis of anaesthesiologist in other places he was posted in kharagpur sub divisional hospital on detailment temporarily. On 6th of may a young unmarried, handicapped girl had been admitted in Kharagpur hospital with 99% burn. Doctors tried to refer the case as there was no burn unit but the party refuse to take her. Within 10 to 12 hours the girl died. The authority asked my husband to do the post mortem. Being an anaesthesiologist for the past few months he is doing the postmortem of many cases and referring many serious cases to midnapore medical college for expert opinion. For this particular case first he has asked for the dying declaration , which was unavailable. After that he went through the inquest report and had a lot of doubt regarding the case . That is why he refer this case to MMC. After this incidence when he was out for his lunch he was mobbed by some local yuva congress people. He took shelter in a local nursing home where some local known doctors help him to take shelter. at this time when he called up the super, he said it is beyond his jurisdiction. a group of 25-30 people have pulled him out of that place and beaten him badly and taken him to the local police station. The police have taken a prompt action by arresting them for assaulting an on duty medical officer.

The unfortunate day was not yet over. Media have represented this case as “doctor beaten on negligence”.

My family and friends who really cares about me, i want to ask u a few questions through FB.

1. Can an anaesthesiologist be beaten and assaulted for not doing post mortem?
2. Can it be called negligence when he assessed and refer the case for expert opinion?
3. Can it be called a case of negligence when the girl is already dead? Where was these guys when the girl was alive and being referred to mmc for better treatment as there was no such unit in kharagpur?
4. Does the authority have any role to play to save their staff when they are in danger. (My husband is the junior most staff. Only 2.5 yrs of experience)
5. Does audiovisual media have got any commitment to the society to show and tell the true story?
6. Does print media have any role to play to write the genuine things? (It has been written that my husband was not beaten, but in the video taken by those guys only it has been clearly shown the fact. In ABP link every common people can see this).
7. He is disturbed, traumatized and mentally fatigued. We need genuine support and advice at this moment.