There has been an alarming rise in the number of attacks on healthcare professionals since the onset of covid-19 pandemic. Doctors and nurses, who are putting their lives at risk to fight the invisible enemy, are coming under attack from the same community, they continue to serve. In the latest incident, a doctor on Covid-19 duty in Assam’s Hojai district was assaulted by a mob comprising the relatives and friends of a patient who died at a health facility on Tuesday afternoon.
Dr Seuj Kumar Senapati was brutally assaulted with brooms and utensils by the mob at the Udali Covid care centre in Hojai district. The incident came to light after a video of the assault went viral on social media. Senapati was carrying out the government-mandated rural service duty after completing his post-MBBS internship. He had been recently posted at the Udali facility.
Hojai Superintendent of Police Barun Purkayastha said that a critically ill Covid-19 patient succumbed to the disease at Udali Covid Care Centre on Tuesday afternoon.
“Immediately after that, the relatives and a group of people known to the victim arrived there and started beating up the doctor. After getting the information, our team reached there and arrested three persons. Further investigation is on,” he told PTI.
Reacting to the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Such barbaric attacks on our frontline workers won’t be tolerated by our administration.” He asked the Special DGP (Law and Order) Gyanendra Pratap Singh to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice.
