Chennai doctor attack: Patient's son stabs doctor 7 times at Kalaignar Centenary hospital

CHENNAI: A senior doctor on duty at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital, Guindy was stabbed repeatedly by a patient's son on Wednesday morning, allegedly over grievances regarding the treatment of his mother, creating a flutter at the hospital which extended to the streets as outraged medical professionals resorted to protests.

The assailant, M Vignesh (26) of Perungalathur, who holds a diploma in automobile engineering, was caught by the public and security staff at the hospital and handed over to the police. Dr Balaji Jagannathan (53) of the Department of Oncology was in his consultation room when Vignesh, who entered his room under the pretext of an outpatient, stabbed him multiple times with a kitchen knife he was carrying.

As the doctor gasped for life, Vignesh casually walked through the corridor towards the exit. The hospital staff, on realising what happened, immediately apprehended Vignesh and handed him over to the police.

Dr Balaji sustained seven cut injuries on his neck, head, scalp and ears and was rushed for surgery. He is said to be out of danger.

Police investigations revealed that Vignesh was upset over the alleged lacklustre treatment of his mother, Prema, who was undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

Prema underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and after doctors told her that her condition worsened, Vignesh took her to a private hospital for consultation where they had made remarks about the treatment so far which had angered Vignesh. After a quarrel on Tuesday with Dr Balaji, Vignesh devised a plan and returned on Wednesday intending to harm the doctor, a police officer said.

Guindy police registered a case against Vignesh under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 121 (2) (causing grievous hurt to public servant), of BNS read with Section 3 of Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.

He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun visited the hospital and reviewed the situation. "The assailant has been a regular at the hospital for the last six months. Even yesterday, he had visited the doctor. In Chennai, all government hospitals have functioning police stations. In hospitals where there are no police stations, we have an outpost. We will increase the security here too. We will invoke an attempt to murder case against the assailant," Arun said.

Condemning the attack, Chief Minister M K Stalin said that the government will take all measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future

Cops took away records; Whose side is govt on, asks patient

Speaking to mediapersons, Vignesh's mother, Prema, who is bedridden alleged that the doctor was inconsiderate towards her and her sons when they visited him for consultation. "Whenever we asked him something, he used to snap at us questioning whether we were doctors," Prema said, adding, "Four policemen came and took all my medical records from my home. Whose side is the government on?"

Vignesh's brother told mediapersons that his brother was taking care of his mother all these months and acted out of love for his mother. "What he did is wrong. I too had witnessed Dr Balaji mistreating our mother. He had thrown the records at us. If you enquire at the hospital, you will hear many such complaints," Vignesh's brother said.