Patna: A strike by junior doctors at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) ended on Thursday evening after a violent confrontation between medical staff and the relatives of a patient who died earlier on Wednesday. The dispute prompted the suspension of OPD and emergency services, leaving thousands of patients without treatment.
The unrest began after the death of 70-year-old Suresh Singh, who had been admitted three days earlier following a brain haemorrhage. Tensions escalated when the family alleged negligence and confronted staff in the emergency ward. Hospital authorities said members of the family assaulted doctors, including women personnel, while the family accused doctors of attacking them with helmets, sticks and rods.
Aman Singh, the son of the deceased, said the conflict began when his sister asked doctors to recheck their father’s body temperature. “The doctor got angry and said, ‘Are we the doctors or you? Are you crazy?’ He then hit my sister’s hand,” he said, claiming to have video evidence. Singh alleged that staff later assaulted him, his sister and a relative.
Junior doctors denied mistreatment and insisted that they were forced to defend themselves after being attacked. They said they had repeatedly raised security concerns with the hospital administration. “Such incidents are happening again and again because there is no security,” a representative of the Junior Doctors Association (JDA) said.
Both parties have filed complaints with the police, who say the matter is under investigation.
Following the clash, junior doctors launched an immediate strike, demanding enhanced security measures and automatic FIR registration in cases of violence against medical staff. Hospital services were severely affected: more than 2,000 patients reportedly returned home untreated, and 100 new admissions were halted.
The JDA said its three demands include:
- Immediate implementation of effective security in all departments;
- Automatic institutional FIRs in cases of assault on healthcare workers;
- Stronger legal provisions to enforce laws against violence in hospitals.
Service resumed late on Thursday after talks with the administration, though doctors warned that action would continue if their demands were not met.
The hospital has not issued a formal statement regarding allegations of negligence, but doctors maintain there was no lapse in treatment.
