Assam: 2 youths arrested for beating up JMCH Registrar of Medicine

Guwahati: Jorhat Police Saturday arrested two youths in relation to the beating up of Deepjyoti Saikia, the Registrar of Medicine of the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH), Assam.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ishaanjyoti Saikia and Ishwarjyoti Saikia. It has been alleged that the JMCH Registrar of Medicine was thrashed by an attendant in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital today, after which the accused were nabbed by the city police.

Notably, Dr. Deepjyoti Saikia is one of only 3 doctors in the JMCH who are available around the clock for all COVID-19 related services.

Tweeting about this development, Assam's health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, "Unfortunate that Dr Deepjyoti Saikia, Registrar of Medicine, JMCH was beaten by an attendant in #COVID ICU today. Dr Saikia is one of the 3 doctors who're available 24×7 for all COVID services. Jorhat Police acted swiftly; arrested accused Ishaanjyoti Saikia & Ishwarjyoti Saikia."

This incident has come to the fore at a time when the medical fraternity has come under increasing attacks amid the fight against the COVID-19, which has made the lives of these professionals far more hectic than usual.

Reports say doctors have been spat at and chased away from homes, and that in one case, patients directed abusive and vulgar language towards female nurses.

Some physicians and their families have also been ostracised by their neighbors because of their exposure to patients infected with Covid-19.

One video, which has gone viral, showed a mob throwing stones at two female doctors wearing personal protective equipment in the central city of Indore.

The doctors had gone to a densely-populated area to check on a woman suspected of having Covid-19 when they came under attack.

In some cases, doctors and nurses have been asked their rented quarters due to exposure to COVID-19 patients.

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