On Thursday, the Kerala High Court instructed the police to promptly apprehend the culprits and file an FIR within an hour of learning about an attack on a medical practitioner or a hospital.

The directive further said that it should go without saying that immediate action should be taken, including apprehending the offenders when necessary, leading to their punishment, and any other actions that the law may necessitate.

The court got involved after learning that more than 138 attacks had occurred on hospitals and healthcare workers from June 2021. The court showed concern and stated that this was very distressing.

The state government has now been ordered by the court to take into account the court′s order for prompt police action as a first step and to recommend by December 16 the additional measures that must be done to prevent attacks on medical personnel from reoccurring.