The state government has said in the Bombay high court that it is ready to increase the number of police personnel at government-run hospitals in the city to prevent attacks on doctors.
The state government has said in the Bombay high court that it is ready to increase the number of police personnel at government-run hospitals in the city to prevent attacks on doctors.
Acting Advocate General Rohit Dev on Thursday said that the state had decided to deploy 56 police personnel, including 28 armed personnel and 28 home guards. AG Dev also clarified that the 56 personnel would not stay in one hospital but would patrol all hospitals. The state also assured the high court that after one-and-a-half month, it would review the number of personnel deployed and make changes if required.
The Bombay high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Afak Mandviya against frequent strikes of resident doctors in state-run hospitals. The petitioner pointed out incidents where patients were affected by these strikes.
Earlier, Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A.A. Sayed had observed that there must be an adequate number of police personnel at state-run hospitals to prevent frequent attacks on doctors. During the hearing, the high court had directed the state to deploy an adequate number of police personnel in each state-run hospital and asked it to file a report. During the last hearing, the state submitted a report on deployment of police personnel in each civic hospital of the city. The court observed that the state had deputed two police constables at J.J. Hospital, Sion Hospital, St George Hospital, G.T. Hospital and Nair Hospital and four police constables at KEM Hospital.
The court had expressed displeasure at the paltry number of personnel and directed the state to increase it in hospitals.
