Kharar Government Hospital assault sparks security demands

A male patient, identified as Ranjitpal Singh, was arrested following an alleged assault on a female medical officer at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Kharar, Punjab. The incident occurred on the evening of October 24 during a consultation.

According to the complaint filed by the doctor, Harmanpreet Kaur, the accused escalated a disagreement into a physical attack, during which he allegedly grabbed her by the hair, pinned her to the ground, and tore her clothing. The assailant also reportedly vandalized hospital property and confronted staff members who attempted to intervene. The situation lasted nearly an hour before staff managed to restrain the man and hand him over to the police.

The Kharar City police have registered a case under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including assault on a public servant and criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe, as well as the Public Property Prevention of Damage Act.

The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has raised serious concerns regarding the lack of security personnel at the facility during the attack. The association is urging authorities to expedite a proposal to deploy 287 security guards across sub-divisional hospitals to prevent future incidents.