Private medical practitioners in Muktsar observed a strike on Tuesday against the registration of a case of alleged criminal negligence against a doctor.
The deceased’s family had charged medical negligence and staged a protest. However, no one has been arrested in the case. A delegation of the doctors met the Muktsar deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police (SSP). The Punjab chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has extended support to the protesting doctors, criticised the police authorities and demanded that they ensure a fair and impartial investigation.
The Muktsar police registered a case under sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 3 (5) (intentionally co-operates in the commission of that offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Official sources said that the protesting doctors were assured that a board would be constituted to investigate the charges. Referring to the Supreme Court judgment in Jacob Mathew vs State of Punjab, the IMA Punjab president Dr RS Sethi said the court had laid down safeguards regarding criminal proceedings against doctors in cases involving alleged medical negligence and had emphasised the importance of obtaining appropriate expert medical opinion.
