Assam doctor assaulted after death of Covid patient; 3 held

Guwahati: A group of people assaulted a doctor at a hospital in Hojai district of Assam following the death of a Covid-19 patient on Tuesday, police said.

Three persons were arrested in this connection.

Hojai Superintendent of Police Barun Purkayastha said that a critically ill Covid-19 patient succumbed to the disease at Udali Covid Care Centre on Tuesday afternoon.

"Immediately after that, the relatives and a group of people known to the victim arrived there and started beating up the doctor. After getting the information, our team reached there and arrested three persons. Further investigation is on," he told PTI.

A video of the attack which has gone viral on social media showed that a person, apparently looked like the doctor, was being assaulted by a group of people, including women.

Reacting to the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Such barbaric attacks on our frontline workers won't be tolerated by our administration."

He asked the Special DGP (Law and Order) Gyanendra Pratap Singh to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice.

Singh said in a tweet that instructions have been given to the Hojai SP to arrest all persons involved in assaulting the doctor, identified as Seuj Kumar Senapati.

Local Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said, "The incident of assaulting a doctor at Udali is unacceptable. I have strongly taken up with the district administration to take swift action and bring the culprits to justice."