A man allegedly slapped a woman doctor at a primary health centre in Maharashtra’s Wardha district in front of a police official, with CCTV footage of the incident circulating on social media. The assault has triggered protests by government doctors and renewed concerns over the safety of healthcare workers on duty.
The incident took place on Wednesday at the Talegaon Shyamjipant Primary Health Centre, where the man had been brought by a team of five police personnel for a medico-legal case (MLC) examination before being produced in court.
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According to the CCTV footage, the medical examination had been completed, and the doctor was asking the accused to sign the required documents. The man then allegedly slapped her in front of a police official, prompting the official to intervene, restrain him and take him to the police station.
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CCTV Footage Shows Assault In Front Of Police
The video shows the man striking the doctor while she is occupied with paperwork. A police official standing beside him immediately intervenes after the assault, and the police team subsequently takes the accused to the police station.
The accused was reportedly brought to the health centre in connection with a case involving an alleged blade attack on a woman. Wardha District Health Officer Swapnil Bele said the police had provided this information, but the reason for the man’s attack on the doctor remained unclear.
Police arrested the accused and registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Maharashtra’s law against violence towards healthcare workers.
Doctors Demand Action After Assault
The incident prompted anger among government medical officers, with a doctors’ association staging a brief work stoppage in protest.
Members of the Gazetted Medical Officers’ Association met Wardha District Collector Vanmathi C and submitted a memorandum demanding strict action against the accused. The association also raised concerns about whether the police personnel accompanying him had taken adequate precautions to prevent the assault.
The association has sought action against the accused as well as the police personnel concerned. It has warned that outpatient department (OPD) services could remain suspended until its demands are addressed.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over the safety of doctors and medical staff, particularly those working in government health facilities and conducting examinations of people brought in police custody.