Nagpur: The registration of an FIR in an extortion complaint filed by a city doctor and the subsequent suspension of a senior police inspector (see box) came within hours of a meeting between police top brass and senior representatives of the medical fraternity.The meeting held at Police Bhavan on Sept 30 was chaired by CP Vishwas Nangre Patil. Senior doctors from prominent hospitals participated in the session, which focused on preventing attacks and improving coordination between hospitals and police.A few hours after the meeting, Pachpaoli police registered an FIR against seven people, including a couple of political workers, for an alleged Rs 12 lakh extortion bid against the owner of a private hospital after the death of a 45-year-old patient.The man died at the hospital on Sept 4 and his relatives refused to take the body. The doctors called the police emergency number 112. Panchpaoli police shifted the body to Mayo Hospital for autopsy. But no FIR was filed for over a month.On Oct 1, a day after the FIR was registered, a senior PI of Panchpaoli police station was suspended. Sources within the department said the action resulted from the talks between top cops and doctors.During the meeting, the police leadership maintained that the safety of medical professionals and healthcare institutions is a top priority. The police will respond promptly to complaints involving threats, extortion, ransacking or violence against those working in the medical field, the doctors were assured.Indian Medical Association (IMA), Nagpur, president Dr Sachin Gathe and Maharashtra State IMA president Dr Manjusha Giri were among the key participants, while Joint CP Navinchandra Reddy was also among key participants from police brass.During the interaction, cops made it clear that violence against doctors, medical officers and support staff would not be tolerated.“Alongside preventive security measures, prompt police response to complaints involving medical establishments is crucial to maintaining confidence among the doctor fraternity and ensuring that threats or coercion do not escalate into violence,” CP said during the meeting.Police and hospital administrations also discussed the need for better communication with patients’ relatives, particularly in situations where treatment-related misunderstandings could trigger confrontations.Delay In FIR: Pachpaoli Senior PI Puri SuspendedSenior PI Aniruddha Puri of Pachpaoli police station was suspended for allegedly delaying registration of an FIR in an extortion case involving Dr BK Murli’s hospital. The action highlights Nagpur police’s zero-tolerance approach towards threats, harassment, and violence targeting the medical fraternity. The action assumes significance against the backdrop of the police department’s earlier assurances of ensuring a safe working environment for doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
