A doctor accused of assaulting a patient at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, India, has stated that he feels no remorse, asserting that he acted in self-defence after being verbally attacked and assaulted by the patient.
Dr Raghav Narula, a senior resident at IGMC who was suspended following the circulation of a video of the encounter, alleged that the patient Arjun Panwar verbally insulted him and his family without justification and attacked him with an iron rod, along with kicks and punches.
The incident took place on Monday within a hospital ward and was recorded in a brief video segment. The clip displays the doctor taking what seems to be an iron rod from the patient’s grasp and hitting him. Mr Panwar is then observed kicking the doctor before being repeatedly struck while lying on the bed.
Mr Panwar had visited the hospital for medical tests and lay down on a bed in another ward after experiencing breathing difficulties.
“I had recently undergone a bronchoscopy and was having trouble breathing. When I requested oxygen, the doctor questioned my status of admission,” Panwar stated.
He claimed that the doctor began acting rudely without cause, leading to a dispute. “I asked him to communicate with me respectfully, but he became aggressive. He responded by saying, ‘tu is just tu’. When I inquired if he addressed his family in such a way, he accused me of taking it ‘personally’ and then started hitting me,” he said.
Dr Narula provided an alternate version of the incident, indicating that the argument stemmed from his use of the term “tu,” which is an informal form of address. He explained that he was reviewing the patient’s previous x-rays and scans as part of the standard process when he commented, “Tu dekha dekha lag raha hai (I think I have seen you somewhere).”
“He then became angry over why I referred to him as ‘tu’. When I explained that my words or tone were not inappropriate, the patient escalated, as did his companion. They then used abusive language,” Dr Narula recounted.
He also stated that the viral video does not capture what transpired prior to the physical altercation. “You are witnessing 10–15 seconds of the conflict, but the disagreement began five to 10 minutes earlier and continued for nearly 10 hours after that,” he remarked.
“I do not feel sorry for what I did. A First Information Report (FIR) is based on the video. Nobody ever asked me about my experience. The situation forced me to act in self-defence,” Dr Narula emphasised.
The Resident Doctors’ Association of IGMC supported the physician, claiming that the patient misbehaved and used abusive language, and called for an impartial investigation.
The Superintendent of Police for Shimla district, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, stated that all elements of the case are being reviewed, including medical records and electronic evidence, such as the video recording. “Appropriate action will be taken according to the law based on the results of the inquiry,” he avowed.