Kharar (Gurpreet Singh): A woman medical officer was allegedly assaulted by a patient at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Kharar on Saturday night, with the accused reportedly grabbing her by the hair, pinning her to the ground and tearing her shirt before damaging hospital property.
The incident occurred around 8 pm on October 24, when the doctor, identified as Harmanpreet Kaur, was on duty and examining the man who had arrived for treatment. According to her complaint, an argument broke out during the examination before the patient allegedly turned violent.
When other hospital employees intervened, the accused reportedly fought with them before going on to vandalise property inside the facility. Staff members eventually managed to overpower him after nearly an hour of disruption and handed him over to the police.
The accused has been identified as Ranjitpal Singh, a resident of Hira Singh Nagar near the Ram Bagh area of Kharar. Police have arrested him in connection with the incident.
Police register case under BNS provisions
A case was registered at City Kharar police station on October 24 under Sections 115(2), 76, 132 and 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Public Property Prevention of Damage Act.
The charges relate to voluntarily causing hurt, criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe her, assaulting a public servant and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of official duties, among other alleged offences.
The allegations are based on the complaint and remain subject to the legal process.
Doctors’ association flags lack of security
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of medical staff at government hospitals. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) said there were no security arrangements at the Kharar sub-divisional hospital when the alleged assault took place.
In its statement, the association said the doctor was held by her hair and pinned to the ground for several minutes, while her clothes and personal belongings were damaged.
The PCMSA also called for the immediate implementation of a proposal to deploy 287 security guards at sub-divisional hospitals, stating that the proposal was at an advanced stage with the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC).
The association further demanded that the second phase of the state’s hospital security framework, covering all sub-divisional hospitals across Punjab, be implemented by November 12.
The episode has brought the issue of workplace safety for healthcare professionals back into focus, with doctors seeking stronger security measures to prevent violence against medical staff while they carry out their duties.
