Doctor stabbed in Chennai by patient’s son

Chennai: A medical oncologist at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital here was stabbed multiple times on Wednesday by the son of a patient allegedly over grievances regarding the treatment of his mother at the same facility, a hospital official said. The man assaulted the doctor inside the outpatient room during a conversation regarding his mother’s treatment. He was immediately apprehended by the hospital staff and handed over to the police, and he was arrested.

The doctor is being treated, and he is stable, the official said. The attack led to an outrage and doctors and nurses gathered in front of the hospital entrance to mark their strong protest.

“We do not have safety while doing our duty,” one of the protesting KCSSH doctors said. Government doctors announced a strike and Health Minister Ma Subramanian is set to hold talks with them. Expressing shock, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the assailant had been arrested and that he had ordered a detailed probe. All steps will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, the CM said. AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami said there was no security for a ‘government doctor in a government hospital,’ and it showed the status of the law and order situation. Palaniswami, the leader of the opposition, sought tough action against the culprit. BJP state unit chief K Annamalai blamed CM Stalin and the DMK regime over the incident. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, alongwith Subramanian, inspected the hospital and assured stringent legal action. They met the oncologist, being treated at the ICU.

Later, AIADMK leaders D Jayakumar and C Vijayabaskar also met the doctor under treatment. The hospital official said the assailant had been identified as Vignesh, a resident of a suburban neighbourhood and his mother Kanchana was the patient. The victim, Balaji Jagannathan, is a renowned oncologist and is serving as an associate professor in the medical oncology department in the hospital.

Police Commissioner A Arun inspected the hospital and reviewed the security arrangements. He said a police outpost would be set up on the premises. Udhayanidhi said the assailant had been visiting the hospital for six months for treatment of his mother and there was no suspicion about him. The Deputy CM said: “For half an hour he (Vignesh) had discussed with the doctor. Based on what he was told in a private hospital, he had taken this decision out of anger. Stern legal action will be taken against him and steps will be taken to prevent recurrence.”