Haryana: Doctor ‘attacked’, strike enters third day, emergency services resume in state

Haryana: The ongoing strike by government doctors in Karnal entered its third day on Saturday. The medical team continued their protest against the alleged assault on a doctor posted at the Community Health Center (CHC) in Gharaunda on March 4th by the SHO and four other policemen. The protesting doctors, under the banner of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), are demanding an FIR be filed against SHO Deepak Kumar and other policemen involved in the incident. On March 5th, Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarnia suspended the SHO and transferred him to the police lines, while Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh handed over the investigation to the Gharaunda SDM. During the first two days of the strike, doctors suspended all healthcare services, including emergency services, outpatient consultations, lab testing, maternity care, and post-mortem examinations, at government hospitals across the district. This resulted in a complete disruption of healthcare services, causing significant inconvenience to patients. However, on March 7, following a statewide call by the HCMSA to suspend only OPD services, doctors in Karnal resumed emergency services. Protesters alleged that Dr. Prashant Chauhan, who was on duty at the Gharaunda CHC on Holi, was allegedly assaulted and forcibly taken away by the SHO and four policemen. Dr. Sanjay Verma, District President of HCMSA Karnal, said, “HCMSA has only appealed to suspend OPD services. We have resumed all emergency services and postmortem examinations.” He added, “We demand that an FIR be filed against the SHO and others involved in the incident.” Civil Surgeon Dr. Poonam Chaudhary appealed to doctors to return to their duties. “Doctors have resumed emergency services, and I hope they will resume other services soon,” she said.