Senior citizen dragged in MP hospital: Doctor sacked, health official suspended

Chhatarpur: A viral video of a septuagenarian being dragged by two men in a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district has led to termination of services of a doctor, who has also been booked in a police case, and suspension of a senior health official.

The incident took place on April 17 when Uddhav Singh Joshi (70), a resident of Naugaon town, had come to the district hospital in Chhatarpur for his wife's medical check-up.

In the viral video, two men can be seen holding the hands of Joshi and dragging him. "I remained in the queue for a long time after getting the time slot slip. When my turn came, Dr Rajesh Mishra objected and then slapped and kicked me," Joshi alleged while speaking to reporters.

Refuting the allegations, civil surgeon GL Ahirwar said the place was overcrowded and Dr Mishra objected because Joshi had broken the queue. While notices were issued to Mishra and Ahirwar earlier in the day, stricter action followed later in the evening.

National Health Mission (NHM) director Saloni Sidana terminated the services of Dr Mishra, a contract doctor of orthopaedics. Ahirwar was placed under suspension by the state health department for the carelessness in this episode and failing to control subordinates.

Earlier, district collector Parth Jaiswal had issued a show-cause notice to Ahirwar for ignoring his directives regarding submitting a report about the incident.

On the basis of a report submitted by the sub divisional magistrate, Jaiswal has asked the health department to take action against Mishra. Following the collector's recommendation, National Health Mission director Sidana had served a notice to Mishra.

Collector Jaiswal also recommended termination of State Red Cross Society employee Rajendra Khare in connection with the incident, the official added. Another official said a 'zero FIR' was registered against Mishra at Naugaon police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 115(2), 296, 3(5), 351(3). The FIR has been transferred to Chhattarpur's Kotwali police station, he added.