A senior resident doctor at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) Shimla has been suspended after a video circulated online showed a patient being physically assaulted inside the pulmonary medicine ward. The incident has triggered a police investigation and a formal hospital inquiry.
A 31-year-old senior resident doctor in pulmonary Medicine at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) in Shimla has been suspended following a widely circulated video showing him physically assaulting a patient inside the hospital’s pulmonary medicine ward on 22nd December.
The patient, identified as 36-year-old Arjun Pawar, a government teacher from Shimla district, had been admitted to IGMC for evaluation of breathing difficulties. He underwent a bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to view the airways and lungs using a thin instrument called a bronchoscope, typically performed under mild sedation.
After the procedure, Pawar was advised rest in the pulmonary ward as part of routine post-procedure care.
According to Pawar’s account, he later complained of chest discomfort and breathlessness and requested oxygen support when the accused doctor and another staff member arrived for rounds. Pawar reportedly objected to the doctor’s tone and asked to be spoken to respectfully.
According to police officials and hospital sources cited by national media, the confrontation escalated after the doctor allegedly addressed the patient using the informal Hindi pronoun “tu,” a form of address commonly perceived as disrespectful, particularly in professional or clinical settings. Pawar is said to have objected to this manner of communication, which reportedly triggered a heated verbal exchange.
Witness accounts reported by local media indicate that this verbal exchange escalated into a physical confrontation. According to Deccan Herald, the doctor has now been identified as Dr. Raghav Narula.
Video footage widely shared on social media shows the doctor striking Pawar while he was lying on the hospital bed. Another medical staff member is seen restraining the patient’s legs during the altercation. Pawar sustained visible injuries during the incident.
Medical experts also note that patients recovering from bronchoscopy can be physically vulnerable due to sedation and respiratory distress, making any physical confrontation particularly risky in such settings.
Within hours of the video’s circulation:
The Himachal Pradesh government ordered the suspension of Dr. Raghav Narula and asked him to report to his headquarters at the Directorate of Medical Education pending inquiry.
IGMC administration constituted a high-level committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered based on the complaint filed by Pawar with the local police.
Medical Superintendent, IGMC, Dr. Rahul Rao emphasized that the inquiry will be transparent and independent. Health officials stated stricter protocols and disciplinary measures could be applied based on the committee’s findings.
Relatives and attendants of Pawar, along with other individuals present at the hospital, protested on the IGMC premises demanding accountability and the arrest of the accused doctor. They have warned that failure of arrest of the doctor will result in larger protests.
(Rh/TL/MSM)