'No law and order in DMK regime': Opposition leaders react to stabbing of doctor at Chennai hospital

CHENNAI: Opposition leaders in the State have condemned the stabbing of an oncologist by a youth posing as an outpatient at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital on Wednesday, claiming that law and order has deteriorated under the DMK regime.

Taking to social media platform X, AIADMK chief and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) said, "The fact that even a government doctor is not safe in a government hospital shows how law and order is in this DMK government. I strongly condemn Stalin's DMK government, which has disrupted law and order to such an extent that heinous crimes can be committed anywhere, without any fear," he wrote in his post.

EPS also urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to "at least now, fulfill his duty as CM and take measures to fix law and order issues."

Expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) also brought up law and order issues. "Under the DMK government for the last three and a half years, there is no security for passengers in trains. There is no safety for passengers in buses, no safety for government employees, also there is no security for hospital workers, and even the police department is not safe," he alleged. But anti-social elements, robbers, and murderers in the state were "safe," OPS claimed.

He also asked how someone could enter a government hospital with a knife, wondering if the facility had no police protection, and urged the government to provide adequate protection to hospitals and doctors.

BJP state president Annamalai on the other hand recalled more such attacks on doctors and medical staff in the state recently, including the assault of an orthopaedic surgeon at Tiruchy ESI hospital to state that such incidents have created fear in the fraternity. "The Chief Minister keeps saying action will be taken, but as such incidents are not being prevented, it has created distrust among the public... the DMK government should realise this," Annamalai added.

PMK president Anbumani in a social media post said the stabbing incident showed "that nobody's life is safe in Tamil Nadu, from the general public to the doctors." He went on to say, "It is a cruel joke that Chief Minister Stalin proudly proclaims that people of Tamil Nadu are happy when such atrocities are happening on the side." The opposition leader also demanded the Tamil Nadu government and the police to ensure that doctors working in government hospitals are provided with adequate security.

Actor and TVK chief Vijay also criticised the State government over recurring incidents of crime, alleging that the DMK regime is "a regime in which there is no security for government employees, traders and the general public."

Earlier today, an assailant, identified as Vignesh of Perungalathur, entered an outpatient room at the Kalaignar centenary hospital while posing as an outpatient, and stabbed Dr Balaji Jagannathan of the oncology department at least four times in the head and twice in the neck. Then, the accused, who was accompanied by three of his friends, fled the scene but was caught by the cops later.

(With inputs from Bureau)