5 PG Orthopaedics Suspended for allegedly ragging Surgery JRs at Gujarat Medical College

Surat: Five resident doctors pursuing their post graduations at the orthopaedics department at Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research (SMIMER Hospital and Medical college), have been suspended on account of misbehaving and allegedly ragging junior doctors in the surgery ward of the institute.

SMIMER's Dean Dr Kalpana Desai confirmed the suspension and stated to the media, "Offenders have been punished for behaving badly. Their behaviour has caused mental trauma and physical injury to students. The action has been taken as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines."

The ragging episode happened between the groups of PG medicos from Surgery and Orthopaedic departments, who clashed with each other over transferring of a patient to another ward of the hospital and later filed complaints of ragging against each other on October 9.

According to media accounts, a verbal spat turned out between the resident doctors of the two departments during which, the residents became aggressive and blurted abusive words against each. Later the furious parties got into a scuffle which allegedly turned into a ragging incident.

The seniors had allegedly caught the juniors from Surgery by the collar and marched them in the ward, as per the news agency UNI.

Following the episode, cross-complaints were lodged by the two parties. Two junior doctors of the first year of PG course of Surgery department had made an online complaint in the Anti-Ragging cell of the UGC about misbehaviour by seniors of the orthopaedic department. In response, four resident doctors of the orthopaedic department also filed a complaint of ragging against PG Medicos of the surgery department.

The complaint reached the SMIMER's Anti-Ragging Committee, which, after conducting inquiry issued suspension orders for the five accused PG resident doctors all belonging to the orthopaedics department, reports TOI.

Dr Desai told UNI that the Anti-Ragging Committee decided to suspend one accused doctor for two semesters and another one for six months while three others have been suspended for one month each.

Notably, after the incident, a junior from the orthopaedic department had also filed a complaint of ragging and beating up against a senior from Surgery department.

On this, the Dean informed, "In the second case the accused has been issued a strict warning."

The anti-ragging committee had approached the Varachha police station and submitted a written statement on the issue.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported about three ragging incidents each at medical colleges in Coimbatore, Agra and Meerut. From the Coimbatore Medical College, 4 third-year MBBS students were suspended for ragging a second-year medico.

Read Also: Coimbatore, Agra, Meerut: MBBS students RAGGED at Three Medical Colleges, 4 Medicos suspended