Patna: Medical services at AIIMS Patna came to a grinding halt on Monday as junior and resident doctors escalated their strike, demanding the withdrawal of an FIR filed against them and pressing for improved security measures. The strike, now in its fourth day, has disrupted both OPD (Outpatient Department) and IPD (Inpatient Department) operations, leaving patients stranded amid ongoing monsoon rains.
Doctors rallied with placards and slogans such as “We want justice” and “Take back the application,” while some banners read “Doctors are servants of all, not slaves of VIPs” and “No security, no service.” Protesters also called for an apology from MLA Chetan Anand, whose visit to the hospital on July 30 triggered the controversy.
During the demonstration, doctors stood near OPD gates and appealed directly to patients for support. “We’ve stopped all services from today. We are left with no option. Our voices are not being heard,” one doctor said.
The protest is gaining momentum, with doctors from PMCH and IGIMS announcing they will wear black badges starting Monday to express solidarity.
The flashpoint came on the night of July 30, when MLA Chetan Anand visited AIIMS with his wife to meet an acquaintance. Anand alleged that he and his wife were assaulted and held hostage. However, the hospital staff and security personnel offered a conflicting account.
According to AIIMS guard Sonu, a dispute erupted when Anand’s bodyguards were stopped from entering the premises with firearms. “When we told them to leave their weapons, they became aggressive,” said Sonu, adding that a scuffle ensued involving security staff and junior doctors.
Both sides have since filed police complaints against each other. Resident doctors claim they were subjected to death threats and physical violence.
Doctors have warned they will not return to work until the FIR is withdrawn and adequate protection is ensured. “The entire blame is being placed on us. No public representative has reached out,” one protester said. “Until our concerns are addressed, the strike will continue.”
