BHOPAL: A BJP leader and his associate have been booked for allegedly molesting a woman postgraduate (PG) doctor, misbehaving with hospital staff and threatening to shoot doctors at a government medical college in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, triggering a massive protest by resident doctors and nursing staff on Friday.The accused, identified as Anil Shrivastava and his associate Laxmi Tiwari, have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for molestation, outraging the modesty of a woman, using abusive language, obstructing a public servant from performing official duty and other relevant offences.According to hospital staff, the incident took place around 1am on Thursday when the two men arrived at the emergency ward of Bundelkhand Medical College (BMC) to get a patient admitted. They allegedly created a ruckus, abused doctors and nursing staff, and obstructed them from carrying out their duties.The woman PG doctor alleged that she was attending to a poisoning case when one of the accused touched her inappropriately. “I was treating a poisoning patient when he touched me inappropriately. When I and other hospital staff objected, they threatened us, saying, ‘Goli maar denge’ (we will shoot you all),” she said.She alleged that when she warned them she would file an FIR, the accused appeared unfazed, telling the staff to “do whatever you want” before fleeing the hospital.Doctors also alleged that the accused misbehaved with a male junior resident during the altercation. Several resident doctors claimed that incidents of patients and attendants behaving inappropriately with healthcare workers have become increasingly common, raising concerns over workplace safety.The incident sparked outrage among the medical fraternity, with resident doctors, nursing officers and senior doctors boycotting work from 8am on Friday and staging a road blockade outside the medical college. They demanded the immediate arrest of the accused and enhanced security for healthcare workers.The protest continued for several hours, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing patients before senior BMC officials assured the protesters that legal action was being taken, following which the blockade was withdrawn.Doctors and nursing staff also questioned the role of the hospital’s private security agency, alleging that security personnel were present during the incident but failed to intervene. They demanded an inquiry into the security lapse and action against those responsible.A heavy police force, including the city superintendent of police and station house officers from five police stations, was deployed at the medical college to maintain law and order.Hospital services resumed after the protest ended. However, doctors warned they would intensify their agitation if the accused were not arrested promptly. Police said the investigation is underway.
