Doctors go wild in Gorakhpur; thrash patients, journos

Doctors went on a wild rampage in the Gorakhpur Medical College on Tuesday, beating up all and sundry including patients and journalists after the family of a fatal encephalitis victim blamed the child's death on "neglect" by the attending junior doctors.

The junior doctors on duty in the encephalitis ward took strong offence to the allegation and started assaulting the patient's family members. Soon a free for all ensued with the doctors going on rampage all over the campus.

Just as the news of the outbreak of violence in the medical college spread across Gorakhpur city, about 200 km from Lucknow, mediapersons rushed to the scene. But even before they could get to grips with the situation, they were also attacked by the violent doctors, who resented the idea of media capturing their insolent behaviour.

While the camera of a TV channel was smashed to pieces by a violent bunch of doctors, other TV crew ran for their safety. Scribes promptly informed the police, whose arrival saved the situation from taking a turn for the worse.

The cops used "mild force" to disperse the violent mob of junior doctors, who were now threatening to give a call for a state wide strike.

Meanwhile, some patients and journalists were stated to have lodged criminal complaints against the culprit doctors, against whom stern action was sought.

As many as 228 children have died in the medical college on account of encephalitis during the current monsoon season. The killer disease which grips large parts of Eastern UP year after year, took a heavy toll of more than 500 in 2011.

Meanwhile, tension continues to prevail in and around the entire medical college, where hundreds of patients have been left at God's mercy. College principal Dr K P Kushwaha however claimed, "Efforts are being made to restore normalcy on the campus." He said, "We are doing our best to see that the serious patients do not suffer on account of the lightning strike by junior doctors."

Defending the junior doctors, he said, "The doctors got provoked after they were attacked by the family members of a child who had died due to encephalitis earlier this morning."