GUWAHATI, June 2: Police have arrested 24 persons in connection with the brutal assault by an enraged mob on a doctor after a critically-ill COVID-19 patient succumbed at a COVID care centre (CCC) in central Assam’s Hojai district on Tuesday afternoon.
Seuj Kumar Senapati, who had joined the CCC at Udali under Lanka police station on Monday last was mercilessly beaten up by an enraged mob, comprising relatives of the deceased patient and persons reportedly known to them.
A video (apparently recorded on a mobile phone) of the doctor being attacked by sticks/brooms, aluminum utensils, trays and other items, by an irate group of persons, had gone viral on social media platforms.
Police personnel were also seen in the video, trying to prevent the mob from roughing up the doctor.
The injured doctor has been brought to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital here where he is currently undergoing treatment. He is stated to be stable by the GMCH authorities.
Condemning the incident, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to state that a charge sheet would be filed at the earliest. “I am personally monitoring this investigation and I promise that justice will be served,” Sarma tweeted on Wednesday morning.
He further said that 22 of the accused, including a woman, have been identified.
They are Md Kamaruddin, Md Jainaluddin, Rehanuddin, Saidul Alam, Rahim Uddin, Rajul Islam, Tayebur Rahman, Sahil Islam, Rahimuddin, Abdul Kalam, Nurzul Islam, Abdul Gumi, Dilwar Hussain, Abdul Hussain, Anuwar, Nasirrudin, Alimuddin, Jamil Ahmad, Sarifuddin, Safiquddin, Matibur Rahman and Miss Misba Begum.
Special DGP, GP Singh also posted a tweet, stating that in the wake of further action till 4am of Wednesday, “24 persons, including main perpetrators and conspirators, have been arrested. This includes the woman seen in the video.”
Meanwhile, the accused arrested have been produced before a court in the district.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Assam director general of police, Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said the investigation would be supervised by CID senior superintendent of police, Bibekananda Das and a charge sheet filed soon. “We will look to fast track the case,” Mahanta said.
The injured doctor, when asked by reporters about the incident, said he had reported for duty to the healthcare facility on Tuesday afternoon only to know that the critically-ill patient had been facing problems urinating since morning, and died before he attended to him in the afternoon.
“Thereafter, the enraged mob broke into our room and started assaulting me. They even snatched my chain, ring and took away my mobile phone,” the doctor said.
Sources said the doctor was eventually rescued from the mob and a possible lynching averted.
A nurse, who was on morning shift when the patient was admitted around 10.30am, was also brutally attacked by the mob.
A case has been lodged at Lanka police station.
The incident has evoked sharp reactions and triggered widespread protests among the medical fraternity and other sections.
The Indian Medical Association, in a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, urged strict action against the culprits. The association also pressed for the enactment of a strong and effective law to safeguard healthcare professionals in the country.
Strongly condemning the incident and demanding speedy justice, the Assam Medical Service Association called for adequate security in all hospitals of the state so that incidents such as the one in Hojai were prevented.
The medical fraternity across the state also staged a protest on Wednesday, wearing black badges and holding placards with messages condemning the brutal attack on the frontline corona warriors.
