In a significant development, the Pradyuman Nagar police in Rajkot have apprehended the individual accused of violently assaulting a resident doctor at the city's Civil Hospital last month. The arrest comes amidst escalating protests by the medical community, who have threatened to intensify their strike action if their demands are not met.
The Arrest and Immediate Fallout
Jaydeep Chavda, a man associated with the tours and travels business, was taken into custody on Thursday. He stands accused of attacking neurosurgeon Dr Parth Pandya on December 29. According to Inspector Vikram Vasava of the Pradyuman Nagar police station, the altercation originated from a dispute over the return of an unused bottle of blood.
The incident sparked immediate outrage among healthcare professionals. The Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) launched protests and announced a strike beginning at 6 pm on December 31, after police failed to arrest the accused within their stipulated deadline. Since then, resident doctors affiliated with the JDA have been providing only emergency services, while boycotting outpatient department (OPD) services and all planned surgeries.
Doctors' Demands and Escalating Tensions
On Thursday, as Chavda was being arrested, resident doctors gathered at PDU Medical College to voice their continued concerns. Their demands are clear and specific. They are calling for the immediate cancellation of the contract of the security agency currently deployed at the civil hospital and the appointment of a new, more effective agency.
Furthermore, the protesting doctors have demanded that the accused, Jaydeep Chavda, be brought to the hospital for a reconstruction of the incident. They also insist that he issue a public apology for his actions. The JDA has issued a stern warning: if these demands are not fulfilled, they will escalate their protest by withdrawing even emergency services starting January 2.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Assault
Police have provided further details on the events that led to the violent confrontation. According to their report, Jaydeep Chavda had come to the Rajkot Civil Hospital to donate blood at the request of the Thapa family, who are known to him. However, the situation deteriorated when he reportedly did not receive satisfactory responses to some of his queries, leading him to become agitated.
The First Information Report (FIR) states that Chavda subsequently barged into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and began hurling abuses at the nursing staff. When Dr Parth Pandya intervened, asking him to maintain discipline, the situation turned physical. Chavda allegedly assaulted the doctor, knocked him to the ground, and even threatened to kill him.
The arrest marks a critical step, but the underlying issues of security for medical staff and respect for healthcare workers, which triggered the widespread protest, remain at the forefront. The medical community in Rajkot is now watching closely to see if the administration will act on their other demands to prevent such incidents in the future.
