Accused detained for assaulting junior doctors in GMCH Jammu

Jammu, Jul 18: Resident doctors in Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Jammu Friday evening called off their strike and resumed their duties after the Police detained the accused, a patient’s attendant, for allegedly assaulting two women junior doctors on July 16.

“Yes, strike has been called off. All the doctors have resumed their duties after the Police have detained the accused. Functioning in the hospital has returned to normal,” Principal and Dean, GMC Jammu, Dr Ashutosh Gupta told ‘Greater Kashmir.’ Earlier, this evening, the Police arrested the accused in Jammu and locked her up in Women Police Cell.

Accused was caught on camera “assaulting” a woman Postgraduate doctor, accusing her and other doctors of negligence in treating her father, thus leading to his death on July 16, 2025. Immediately after the incident, the junior doctors went on strike in protest against this alleged act of violence against their women colleagues.

The strike by junior doctors had badly affected the functioning of GMCH Jammu, particularly the emergency and outpatient services for the last two days. An FIR was registered in the case on Wednesday after the incident yet the junior doctors had refused to join their duties till the arrest of the main accused in the alleged assault case. Police arrested her (accused) on Friday after last rites of her deceased father were performed.

Though senior doctors, all faculty members and Consultants performed duties in the Emergency and other wings, the functioning of GMC hospital Jammu remained affected and patients from far flung areas suffered during the last two days.

On July 17, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too had denounced the act of violence against the doctors by calling it “unacceptable.”

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.

Meanwhile, Resident Doctors Association, GMC and Associated Hospitals, Jammu extended gratitude to all for “standing in solidarity with them (protesting doctors).” The Association in particular thanked the Chief Minister; MLA Arvind Gupta; J&K Health Secretary Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; GMC Principal; IMA besides other associations and individuals. “We stand united in our pursuit of safety, justice and respect within our workplace,” it had stated.