Disciplinary action has finally been initiated at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital in Tanda, located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, following the alleged harassment of a trainee female doctor. The administration moved to suspend the accused lab technician only after outraged resident doctors launched a strike protesting administrative apathy that stretched on for nearly a week. Despite a formal police case having been registered and the survivor recording her statement in court, the accused remains unarrested, with law enforcement having merely served an investigation notice.
Midnight Blood Bank Incident Triggered Outrage
According to Dr. Aryan Galeria, general secretary of the Senior and Junior Resident Doctors Association, the disturbing incident traces back to September 28. A critically ill patient in the obstetrics and gynecology department required an urgent blood transfusion. When staff reached out to secure the unit, the employee on duty at the blood bank reportedly declined to deliver it, insisting that the on-duty female resident doctor come collect it in person. Considering the precarious condition of the patient, the doctor rushed to the blood bank herself. Upon her arrival, the staff member allegedly subjected her to misbehavior and harassment.
Institutional Inaction and Resident Doctors' Strike
In the aftermath of the incident, discontent mounted rapidly across the medical college campus. For an entire week, the hospital administration failed to take decisive punitive steps, limiting its response to forming internal committees and conducting procedural meetings. Frustrated by the lack of tangible safety measures and the absence of immediate action against the accused, junior and senior resident doctors halted work and initiated a strike. While police formally booked the accused and the complainant's legal statement was recorded before a magistrate, investigators deferred arrest, choosing instead to issue an appearance notice for inquiry.
Government Intervention and Official Suspension
The intensifying unrest prompted intervention at the highest levels of the state administration. Upon returning to Shimla from official visits to Rohru and Rampur, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the sensitive development and instructed authorities to place the accused employee under immediate suspension. Health Secretary Ashish Singhmar subsequently confirmed the lab technician's formal suspension. Following the decision, administrative officials reiterated that workplace safety for female healthcare workers and institutional discipline remain non-negotiable across public hospitals.
