THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday warned of protests if the police fail to take strong action against the assailants who attacked a doctor and vandalised expensive equipment at Attukal Institute of Medical Science on Sunday. The Fort police is yet to arrest any of around 20 assailants in the case. They injured Dr Prakash Janardhanan and four other staffers for preventing their entry to the observation room to meet their friend. "Such attacks need to be dealt with seriously. They should be taken to task under Hospital Attack (protection) Act," said IMA Thiruvananthapuram president John Panicker.
IMA state secretary Dr Samuel Koshy said that political interference often led to inaction against hospital attackers in the state. "The police sometimes do not book suspects under non-bailable offence or they do not arrest the accused claiming they are absconding," said Dr Koshy. Fort assistant commissioner J.J. Dinil said that the assailants at Attukal were absconding and that Hospital Attack (prevention) Act was pressed against them. "We identified two and both of whom are absconding now," he said.
Around three cases of hospital attacks were reported on Sunday in the capital. One of the four attackers who vandalised the Valiyathura multispecialty hospital was arrested on Monday and booked under the non-bailable section. He was identified as Binoy, 21, of Valiyathura. "Binoy had engaged in a brawl with another man and both were injured. He became violent when he learnt that both of them were in the same hospital and engaged in vandalism," said Valiyathura SI V. Jayaprakash. Those booked under Hospital Attack (protection) Act can be imprisoned up to three years. The lone attacker, who injured a security guard at Neyyatinkara general hospital, was held on the day of the incident. He had come there following minor injuries suffered in a bike accident.
