A senior pediatrician has been brutally assaulted by a patient’s family at his clinic in Himayathnagar, Hyderabad and the incident has shaken the city’s medical fraternity. Pediatrician Dr Michael Aranha is recuperating at a hospital. His four ribs got fractured and damaged his lungs after being attacked by two persons, Ghulam Mustafa and Abdul Fazil, on December 28. The offenders have been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

The incident took place last week but came to light only on Monday. According to the director of the hospital where Dr Aranha is admitted, he was in agony when brought to the hospital and could barely breathe. He had suffered pneumothorax. He was brought in 12-13 hours after the attack, and if there had been any further delay in medical attention, situation could have worsened. His ribs were broken that punctured his lungs and air had collected outside them. He reported that Dr Aranha is stable now.

DCP, Central Zone told TOI that the accused had gone for a consultation to the doctor’s clinic for his child. He alleged that the doctor’s objectionable conduct led him to go back and get his friend in order to question the doctor. The accusations; however, do not seem coherent. He stated that the allegations will be investigated.

A case has been registered under Sections 448 and 326 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Telangana Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage of property) Act, 2008.

According to the FIR, the motive for the attack was alleged imagined insult of the wife of Mustafa, the prime accused in the case. The FIR stated that Mustafa first went back from the clinic and returned later with Fazil to attack the doctor.

Dr Sanjeev Singh Yadav, Secretary, Indian Medical Association, Telangana has stated that the accused are saying things to justify their deed. (TOI)