'None will be spared', Telangana police warn against attacks on doctors

Hyderabad: Following reports of COVID-19 patients or their relatives assaulting doctors, the state police have warned against such attacks and said no one, including the patients, will be spared in such cases.

Recently, a patient’s son had slapped and injured a doctor at Osmania General Hospital, while a patient at Gandhi Hospital had attacked a junior doctor. In both cases, the Telangana police had registered criminal cases against them.

In a statement, the state police warned of strict action against the offenders. "Recently, a few incidents of assault on on-duty doctors/paramedical staff were reported in the state. The Telangana police have taken strict action against the accused responsible for such attacks, despite the fact that some of the accused themselves were COVID-19 patients."

Three patients have been booked, including the Kothagudem deputy superintendent of police for hiding his son's travel history. The state police also issued a caution and said, "Acts of misbehaviour with any medical/paramedical staff in any hospital will not be tolerated." Further, all persons indulging in such acts will be arrested and put behind bars and none will be spared even if they happen to be COVID-19 patients or their attendants, the police said. The accused are liable to be booked under provisions of the IPC and the Epidemic Disease Act.

Following attacks against medical staff, security has been strengthened at hospitals. The district superintendents of police have been directed to initiate action.