The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to jail those who are attacking doctors and medical staff at a time of crisis.
Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan directed the government to take instant action against such offenders and make public the harsh punishment meted out to them, in a bid to deter other offenders.
The direction came after the second attack against a duty doctor at Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, was reported on Tuesday. A doctor was assaulted by a patient's relative alleging that the hospital staff did not follow the protocol of isolating COVID-19 patients.
“When the state government and its machinery are involved in tackling an emergency, those creating law and order problems need not be tolerated at all,” The Times of India quoted the Chief Justice as saying.
The Chief Justice asked the police authorities to ramp up security arrangements for the doctors at the hospitals.
The bench expressed displeasure at the police's action when they informed the court that they had registered a case. The bench asked why they did not arrest the culprits immediately and restore faith among the doctors.
Deccan Chronicle quoted the bench as saying, “If police refrain from taking strict action against those who resort to such acts, then the public that comes to various hospitals for COVID-19 treatment during this global emergency will assume that they can also resort to a scuffle with medical teams in hospitals and go scot-free without being punished.”
“This inaction on the part of the police will demoralise the medical community deputed to give medical treatment to COVID-19 patients. At this point, the state cannot afford this (attacks) to happen,” the Chief Justice said.
Meanwhile, following the incident, six policemen have been deployed at the emergency ward in OGH to prevent such incidents.