GUWAHATI, August 2: Gauhati High Court has observed that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in hospitals should be connected to the nearest police station.
The observation was made upon hearing a PIL in regard to prevention of attacks on doctors, the incidence of which has been on the rise in Assam in the recent past amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bench of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak directed the Assam government to apprise the court about the progress in the matter within 10 days.
The court has fixed the next date of hearing on August 16.
Assam Advocate General D. Saikia apprised the court that almost all the government medical colleges and the district government hospitals are having CCTV cameras.
“But there are some government hospitals, including some Model Hospitals, where CCTV cameras are yet to be installed,” the bench said.
“Mere installation of CCTV cameras in the concerned hospitals is not enough and the CCTV cameras are required to be connected to the nearest police station,” it said.
In a shocking incident, a doctor at Udali Model Hospital in Hojai district was assaulted by relatives and friends of a COVID-19 patient, who died during treatment on June 1.
Police arrested 24 persons within 24 hours of the incident. Investigation has been done and a chargesheet has also been filed, the court was informed by the Advocate general during a previous hearing.
