Services at AIIMS-Patna affected as resident doctors boycott work over MLA's 'high-handedness'

Patna: Healthcare services were affected at AIIMS-Patna on Friday as resident doctors boycotted work in protest against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand.

In a letter to the medical superintendent of AIIMS-Patna, the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) sought legal action against Anand and the deployment of security personnel on the hospital premises.

"The MLA, his wife and his armed guards forcibly entered the hospital area, physically assaulted security staff, threatened resident doctors with death and brandished a firearm within hospital premises. A hospital guard was brutally injured and resident doctors were subjected to threats and abuse inside their own workplace," the RDA alleged in the letter.

Emergency, OPD and other services were affected as a result of the boycott.

On the other side, Anand, the RJD-turned-JD(U) legislator, had lodged a police complaint, alleging that staff members of AIIMS-Patna misbehaved with him and his wife during a visit to the hospital on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, he told PTI that he and his wife were mistreated by hospital staff when they went to visit a supporter admitted to the facility.

"My wife and I went to see one of my supporters admitted at AIIMS on Wednesday night. I was not allowed to enter the hospital with my security guard. This prompted my wife to intervene," he said.

"At that moment, other staff members came and started misbehaving with my wife. They literally thrashed her. I had to intervene. My wife sustained injuries to her wrist and back. I was also held hostage by the staff for some time. Finally, we went to the local police station and lodged a complaint," he added.

The MLA's mother, Lovely Anand, is the JD(U) MP from the Sheohar Lok Sabha seat.

Meanwhile, an FIR was registered on the basis of the complaint filed by AIIMS-Patna administration on Thursday night, said GS Alam, the SHO of the Phulwari Sharif police station.

"Earlier, a complaint related to the incident was filed by the opponent party as well. Now, the matter is being investigated," he said.