Assault against doctors not acceptable: CM Omar

Jammu, Jul 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday denounced any act of violence against the medical professionals stating that to “assault a doctor for something that’s not the doctor’s fault” was unacceptable.

CM Omar’s reference was to the July 16, 2025 incident of Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Jammu where the junior doctors went on flash strike after an alleged act of violence against a woman doctor by the attendants of a critically-ill patient.

He said that after hearing about the incident, he directed the administration to file a case against the person who assaulted the doctor and make sure that the justice was done as violence against doctors could not be tolerated.

The Chief Minister was addressing the illustrious gathering of medical professionals and others after formally launching the Disaster Management manual at the All Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Jammu in Vijaypur, Samba.

“It is the way of life. You cannot save everybody and it is not the doctor’s fault. Let’s face it – whatever religion we belong to – ultimately the decision of life and death does not lie in the hands of doctors. It lies in the hands of the almighty. To try and punish and to assault a doctor for something that is not the doctor’s fault, is unacceptable. Therefore, when I heard about it today, I immediately got in touch with our administration people and said – this cannot be tolerated,” he said.

“I directed (the administration) – you will have to file a case against the person who assaulted the doctor and you will have to make sure that the justice is done. Because if we don’t protect our doctors, how do we expect our doctors to impart treatment tomorrow. If a doctor is going to be afraid to treat a patient; if a doctor is going to be afraid of what the outcome possibly could be, then that is a doctor who will not be able to do the duty he (or she) is supposed to do,” CM Omar said.

He assured that his administration would ensure a safe environment for medical professionals to work. “So, rest assured, so long as I’m here, my government will do everything possible to ensure that all of you in the medical profession have a safe environment within which you can conduct and carry out your duties and also the best possible infrastructure – I doubt whether we will ever be able to match what AIIMS Jammu has put in front of us. But we will definitely try,” CM Omar said.

Profusely appreciating the AIIMS Jammu, he said, “I think this institution now stands for us as the Mount Everest for what a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir should look like; can look like and hopefully will look like.”