1500 AIIMS doctors go on indefinite strike

New Delhi: Around 1500 resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called an indefinite strike from Thursday evening against its senior professor for humiliating and slapping a senior resident doctor at the eye wards of RP Centre, AIIMS.

The resident doctors alleged that authorities were casually dealing Dr Atul Kumar, Chief, RP Centre, AIIMS, who has physically assaulted a resident doctor during the working hours. "However, the AIIMS director instituted a five member committee to be chaired by the Dean-Research to inquire into the incident. Further, the concern faculty member offered to proceed on leave," said an official.

Due to indefinite strike, all the routine surgeries have been cancelled, out patient clinics will be run in restricted manner and all the academics activity and exams are postponed indefinitely.

Harjit Singh Bhatti, President, RDA, said that it's an unfortunate incident in the history of the AIIMS, which is temple of learning. "Not only has professor Dr Atul failed to lead by example, his repeated misbehavior has tarnished the student-teacher relationship," Harjit Singh Bhatti said.

Former, RDA president, Dr Vijay Gujjar said, "such people should not be allowed to lead any department and we demand his immediate resignation as Chief of Dr RP Center, AIIMS."

RDA said that an ophthalmology resident doctor in RPC was slapped by Dr Atul Kumar on Wednesday during the morning rounds in front of patients and staff just because he had reached earlier and he didn't find the patient, who was supposed to be shifted to examination room by a senior resident.

"This is sadly, a routine show in RP Center, "there are complaints against his misbehavior towards female resident," said a statement from AIIMS's RDA.

Meanwhile, the alleged Dr Atul had threatened the victim warning that he would fail the resident doctor in the coming exams.