Patient, attendants assaulted by junior doctors at AMU medical college; services hit as staff protest

AGRA: Violence erupted at Aligarh Muslim University’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) on Tuesday night after a clash between resident doctors and attendants, crippling emergency services and forcing patients to other hospitals. Amid the chaos, an 80-year-old woman died after her family alleged she was denied timely care.Medical services were disrupted as junior doctors and other staff went on a flash strike. Several patients had to be shifted to Deendayal Hospital and other facilities.The clash began over the treatment of a 45-year-old woman, Shabana Begum, and quickly turned into a physical assault.According to a complaint filed by Shabana’s husband, Afzal Ahmed, he and his two sons were allegedly attacked by doctors and staff inside the emergency ward and later in the stretcher room. His ailing wife was also beaten when she tried to intervene.Afzal stated in his police complaint: “When I asked the doctor at table No. 1 in the emergency room to attend to my wife, he abused me. When my son Shanu protested, the doctor slapped him. As my other son Anas intervened, several doctors and staff attacked us with iron rods and medical instruments, intending to kill us. JNMC officials rescued us and took us to the stretcher room, but the attackers followed and assaulted us again. When my wife tried to save us, they beat her too. They were calling each other by names—Talhah, Akil and Shahwaz—along with 8-10 unidentified men. One of them also stole my purse containing Rs 15,000 and important documents.”DSP Sarvam Singh confirmed: “A case under multiple sections, including BNS 109 (attempt to murder) and 191 (rioting), has been registered against the accused. Further investigation is underway.”AMU proctor Mohammad Naved Khan described the incident as “unfortunate” and added: “The junior doctors should not have behaved like this. An internal probe is being conducted.”