Odisha CHC doctor attacked by mob, illegally detained for 18 hours

Singhpur: In a recent incident of violence against medical professionals, an on-duty doctor at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Singhpur was allegedly abused and physically assaulted by a patient’s attendant over a delay in treatment. The Medical Officer in Charge, who later lodged an FIR against the accused, also faced harassment and has now been booked in a murder case.

According to a doctor who shared the details on the social media platform 'X', around 12 days after the altercation, the attendant was found dead under suspicious circumstances on a railway track. Following this, his wife accused the medical officer of murder and lodged an FIR under BNS sections 108, 115(2), 126(2), 296, 3(5), and 351(2).

Following this, the medical officer was detained for 18 hours without access to food, phone calls, or any communication with others. Not just this, but he was also forced into a Rs 2 lakh settlement and a job promise for the deceased’s family.

The incident took place on June 1 when a patient suffering from an ear itch visited the Community Health Centre (CHC) in K-singhpur, accompanied by the accused. At the time, the on-duty doctor was busy attending to an accident case in the Minor Operation Theatre and asked them to wait.

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However, the accused allegedly began verbally abusing the doctor, recorded him without consent, and physically assaulted him. The entire episode was caught on CCTV. The Medical Officer In Charge (MOIC), Dr. Sumiran Raut, was informed and alerted the Odisha Police.

Based on the complaint, the police registered an FIR against the accused. That night, the accused reportedly returned with a group of drunk villagers. They entered Dr. Sumiran’s office, filmed him again, and tried to force him to withdraw the case. Dr. Sumiran refused to engage, stating it was a police matter.

On June 13, he was found dead on a railway track, 40 km away from K-singhpur, near his in-laws’ home. His sudden death led to heightened tensions in the area. Following his death, an angry mob attacked the CHC, vandalised hospital property, and blamed the doctors for the incident. Fearing for their lives, doctors fled the scene.

Dr. Sumiran and his medical team were detained for 18 hours without access to food, phone calls, or any communication with senior health officials. It is alleged that they were forced into a settlement involving a payment of Rs 2 lakh and a job promise for the deceased’s family. The doctors were even threatened with the dead body being dumped at the MOIC's quarters.

The incident has sparked outrage among the medical community. Doctors say they are being made scapegoats, with no legal or system support, despite working in challenging rural conditions. They are now demanding the withdrawal of the false FIR, an inquiry into illegal detention, police accountability, and protection for doctors in rural areas.

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