 "Doctors go on indefinite strike at GTB Hospital after patient's murder")
A shocking incident at Delhi’s GTB Hospital on Sunday, where a patient was shot inside a ward, has led the Residents’ Doctors Association (RDA) to declare an indefinite strike. The strike underscores growing safety concerns and long-standing demands for improved security measures.
Patient shot inside GTB Hospital
The incident occurred when a 32-year-old patient, Riyazuddin was shot dead by an unidentified assailant inside ward number 24 of GTB Hospital on Sunday.
Riyazuddin had been admitted on June 23 and was undergoing treatment for an abdominal infection.
According to Riyazuddin’s wife, the attack was a case of mistaken identity, with the shooter targeting someone else in the hospital.
“I met my husband yesterday. When I arrived at the hospital, I learned that he had been shot dead. They had come here to kill someone else but mistakenly shot my husband... A person admitted to another ward had threats against him, and it seems the shooters intended to kill him but ended up shooting my husband instead” she told news agency ANI.
Doctors demand better security
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has described the incident as a “mafia-like killing” and emphasised the urgent need for improved security measures.
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In an official statement, the RDA expressed frustration over the government’s failure to address their repeated appeals for adequate security, which they believe could have prevented this tragic event.
“Our repeated appeals for enhanced security have been ignored, culminating in this tragic event. Until the Delhi Government ensures a secure environment for everyone within the hospital, we cannot continue our duties,” an RDA spokesperson said.
Emergency services at the hospital to continue
The strike, according to the RDA, will continue until the Delhi Government implements fundamental security improvements and communicates them effectively.
Despite the strike, emergency services at the hospital will remain operational to ensure patient care is not entirely disrupted.
FORDA President Aviral Mathur highlighted the urgent need for security measures, stating, “The recent incident of violence at GTB Hospital underscores the urgent need for enhanced security measures for our doctors.”
Mathur also urged the Ministry of Health to release Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to bolster security at major government hospitals, while also calling for the swift tabling of the Central Protection Act in Parliament.
Echoing these sentiments, Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) Chairperson Rohan Krishnan criticised the current state of Delhi government hospitals, describing them as “a land of lawlessness with no administration.”
Political reactions to patient murder
The incident has also sparked political reactions. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, alleging that the capital’s law-and-order situation has deteriorated under his tenure. Bharadwaj highlighted a series of violent incidents in Delhi, including the shooting at GTB Hospital, and accused the Delhi Police of being politically manipulated and understaffed.
“LG sir, after your arrival, the law-and-order situation in Delhi is going from bad to worse in the last two years. The fear of the law among criminals has ended. Bullets are being fired inside hospitals in broad daylight,” Bharadwaj said in a post on social media.
He cited National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, pointing out that Delhi currently has the highest crime rate among metropolitan cities, with 1,832 crimes per one lakh population and the highest number of killings among major cities.
The shooting at GTB Hospital has brought to light the critical need for enhanced security in healthcare facilities. As doctors strike for safer working conditions, the Delhi Government faces mounting pressure to address these concerns promptly and effectively.
(With agency inputs)