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The State Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers (SAMDCOT) on Wednesday expressed serious concern over a recent violent incident involving a doctor and a patient at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and urged the administration, media and public to allow a fair and transparent investigation instead of relying on selective social media videos.
In a press note, the association said that short and edited video clips showing isolated moments were being widely circulated on social media, while the complete footage allegedly showed prolonged provocation, threats and intimidation faced by doctors inside the hospital. "Truth cannot be assessed on the basis of a few seconds taken out of context. The full sequence clearly shows sustained verbal abuse, threats and attempts to intimidate doctors," SAMDCOT said. The association alleged that the Pulmonary Medicine ward was surrounded by a crowd for more than three hours, which severely disrupted medical care for admitted patients. It further claimed that calls for mob justice were openly made, with demands to hand over the doctor to the crowd, despite timely intervention by the administration. SAMDCOT also raised concerns about what it termed a serious breach of privacy, alleging that the doctor's personal photograph was circulated without consent, along with fake and AI-generated visuals intended to malign him. The association said that on-duty doctors received open threats, placing their safety at risk. The association further alleged that sloganeering and crowd mobilisation inside the hospital premises violated High Court orders and endangered patient safety. Emphasising the need for impartiality, SAMDCOT said the doctor had also presented his version and deserved equal consideration. "Doctors are not adversaries. They work under extreme pressure to save lives and should not be reduced to targets of misinformation and mob pressure," it said. Warning of further escalation, the association said that if legal action is not taken against those instigating crowds and delivering provocative speeches, it would be compelled to launch a statewide agitation. "Hospitals must remain safe spaces for both patients and healthcare providers," the association added. (ANI)
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