Doctor stabbed 7 times by patient’s son in Chennai hospital

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, November 13, 2024: A Tamil Nadu government doctor was stabbed seven times at a Chennai hospital Wednesday morning by a young man whose mother was being treated for cancer by the same doctor.

The young man was also a patient attender at that hospital. The doctor, an oncologist, is also a heart patient and suffered injuries to his upper chest and head. He is in the Intensive Care Unit, or the ICU, but is in stable condition, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said. A senior doctor said his colleague has a pacemaker and was cut on his forehead and back, and was also hit on his stomach.

The man who stabbed him has been arrested; the attack took place in the OPD, or outpatient department, of the Kalaignar Centenary Hospital in the city’s Guindy neighbourhood, after he suspected the doctor had prescribed incorrect medication to his mother, a cancer patient.

The accused, 26 years old according to some reports, tried to escape after stabbing the doctor but was caught and handed over to the police.

The attacker used a small knife hidden on his person, but insisted there was no security lapse, the Health Minister said. Chief Minister MK Stalin has ordered an inquiry and promised medical aid, as well as providing assurances such an attack won’t happen again.

"Service of doctors is laudable... and it is our responsibility to ensure their safety."

கிண்டி கலைஞர் நூற்றாண்டு உயர்சிறப்பு மருத்துவமனையில் பணிபுரியும் மருத்துவர் திரு. பாலாஜி அவர்களை நோயாளியின் குடும்ப உறுப்பினர் ஒருவர் கத்தியால் குத்திய சம்பவம் அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.

இக்கொடுஞ்செயலில் ஈடுபட்ட நபர் உடனடியாகக் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார். மருத்துவர் திரு. பாலாஜி…

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) November 13, 2024

In a long message (in Tamil) on X the Chief Minister said, "The selfless work of our government doctors in providing treatment to patients regardless of the time is immeasurable. The government will take measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."

Doctors at the hospital have started a protest and non-emergency treatment has been suspended.

A colleague of the injured doctor told NDTV healthcare professionals were now worried for their safety and called for increased security at hospitals, including the presence of armed security guards.

"Doctors feel insecure. The attack was a security lapse and indicates lack of fear of the law... security should tightened. CCTCs have been set up but I don’t think they function," Dr Anto Uresh, a member of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association, said.

The Chennai attack refocuses the spotlight on the safety of healthcare workers at their workplace, an issue that rocketed to national attention after the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital. One accused - Sanjay Roy - has been arrested for that crime.