An Indian doctor is under investigation after disturbing footage appeared to show him physically assaulting a patient who was struggling to breathe and had asked to be treated respectfully. The incident took place on Monday at Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla, northern India. The patient, Arjun Panwar, said he had gone to the hospital for medical tests and later lay down on a bed in another ward after experiencing breathing problems.
According to Panwar, the situation escalated when a doctor began speaking to him in what he described as a rude and dismissive manner. When Panwar objected to the tone and asked for oxygen, the exchange reportedly turned hostile. “I had just undergone a bronchoscopy and was struggling to breathe. When I asked for oxygen, the doctor questioned my admission status,” Panwar said.
He added that when he asked the doctor to speak to him politely, the confrontation worsened. “I requested that he speak to me with respect, but he became confrontational,” Panwar said. “When I asked if he spoke to his family in such a manner, he claimed I was getting ‘personal’ and began hitting me.”
Video of the incident, which quickly spread online, appears to show the doctor repeatedly punching Panwar as the patient attempts to shield himself while lying on the bed. The footage sparked public outrage, with a large crowd later gathering outside the hospital demanding action against the accused physician.
Hospital officials confirmed that a three-member inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Dr Rahul Rao, Medical Superintendent of IGMC Shimla, said the committee is reviewing the footage and statements from those involved and will submit its findings soon. He also confirmed that a police complaint has been filed against the doctor.
The case has reignited debate in India over patient safety and professional conduct within hospitals. It also recalls previous incidents that drew national attention. In 2017, two doctors were caught on camera verbally abusing each other inside an operating theatre during an emergency C-section at Umaid Hospital in Jodhpur.
In that earlier case, obstetrician Dr Ashok Nainiwal and anesthetist Dr Murari Lal Tak were seen arguing while operating on an unconscious woman. Around a dozen staff members reportedly stood by as the confrontation unfolded. The baby later died due to severe birth asphyxia.
Dr Ranjana Desai, superintendent of Umaid Hospital at the time, said the woman had arrived in critical condition and was rushed to surgery, but the infant could not be saved. As the IGMC inquiry continues, Panwar’s case has intensified calls for stricter accountability and safeguards to ensure patients are treated with dignity, especially during medical emergencies.
READ NEXT
- Kate Winslet claims she was advised to accept “Fat Girl Parts” to pursue an acting Career
- Doctor assaults Patient with breathing issues after being asked to speak respectfully
- NFL suspends DK Metcalf after altercation with Lions Fan
- Wisconsin teacher who admitted to ‘making out’ with 11-year-old gets six-year sentence
- University of Oklahoma Fires Trans Instructor after Grading Dispute over Bible-Based Essay