‘We kept working even after the assault, emergency was not shut’: Resident SMHS doctors decry attack, 'defamation'

July 24, 2025 by News Desk

Resident doctors at Government Medical College Srinagar broke their silence on Wednesday, a day after one of their colleagues was allegedly assaulted by a patient’s relative inside the emergency ward of SMHS Hospital.

In a detailed statement released to the The Kashmiriyat, the resident doctors said the incident occurred at around midnight on July 22 when a junior doctor on emergency duty was physically assaulted and publicly humiliated while attending to patients.

Family of the patient who passed away denied the claims of the doctors and said nobody checked his brother in law. “The said doctor was laughing and talking with his colleague,” said the relative of the deceased.

The statement said the doctor, despite being attacked, continued to perform his duties throughout the night.

“In an exemplary display of professionalism and commitment, the assaulted doctor chose to continue managing the casualty and triage, prioritizing patient care and public convenience despite the trauma he endured,” the resident doctors said.

According to the association, he completed the entire night shift, participated in morning rounds, and responsibly handed over critical patients to the incoming team.

They said the residents vacated the casualty only later in the afternoon once the consultants had taken formal charge.

The doctors also issued a sharp response to what they described as false and misleading narratives in the media. “We strongly condemn the irresponsible and misleading coverage by certain media outlets that circulated videos falsely portraying the closure of the casualty,” the statement read.

They clarified that the gate shown in several viral videos was the OPD gate and not the emergency entrance. “That clip was filmed around 4 PM, well after emergency services were already functioning under consultant supervision,” they said.

In a strongly worded paragraph, the association said, “It is disgraceful that some media houses have attempted to malign the image of doctors and frame this as a public versus doctors narrative.”

They added that such distortion of facts only fuels mistrust and endangers the very people who work day and night to save lives.

The doctors appealed to the public to reject what they called divisive tactics. “We urge the public to see through these narratives and stand with those who stood by them even in the darkest hours.”

The statement came after hospital services were partially disrupted on Wednesday, as resident doctors at SMHS held a sit-in to protest the assault.

Entry through one of the main gates was blocked for several hours, causing distress to patients and attendants, some of whom had come from far-flung areas.

Among the affected was a young child who had suffered an electric shock but was reportedly denied entry for a period of time.

During the protest, several journalists attempting to report on the incident said they were heckled and obstructed by groups of doctors.

While police have registered an FIR in the assault case and the hospital administration has promised a formal inquiry, tensions remain high.

The doctors have not withdrawn their demand for strict action against the accused and continue to call for improved security and safeguards for hospital staff.