PATNA, Aug 3— Healthcare services at AIIMS-Patna remained severely disrupted for the second consecutive day as resident doctors continued their strike in protest against the alleged misconduct and intimidation by Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand.
The strike, which began on Friday, has affected emergency, outpatient, and routine hospital services. Talks between the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) and hospital administration took place Saturday evening in a bid to resolve the standoff.
“We were assured institutional legal support for both resident doctors and security staff who have been falsely implicated,” the RDA said in a statement following the meeting. “However, we demand full transparency and accountability. Immediate public release of CCTV footage is necessary to ensure the truth is revealed and justice prevails.”
The doctors’ association has also called for the withdrawal of what it described as a “false FIR” filed against one of their colleagues, and urged police to invoke relevant sections of the Arms Act, citing the alleged presence of firearms inside the hospital during the altercation.
“We will continue our strike until our demands are addressed,” the RDA added.
The incident in question occurred Wednesday night, when MLA Chetan Anand, a JD(U) legislator and former RJD leader, visited the hospital with his wife to see a supporter undergoing treatment. According to the RDA, the MLA and his armed guards forcibly entered the premises, assaulted security personnel, threatened doctors, and brandished a firearm. A hospital security guard was reportedly injured, and several doctors said they were subjected to verbal and physical intimidation.
“The MLA, his wife, and his security detail stormed into restricted areas, created chaos, and compromised hospital safety,” a resident doctor told reporters.
In contrast, Anand has accused hospital staff of misbehaving with him and assaulting his wife. “My wife and I were visiting a supporter admitted to AIIMS. We were denied entry with my security detail, and when my wife intervened, she was mishandled and injured. I was held hostage by the staffers,” Anand told PTI on Thursday.
The legislator later filed a police complaint against hospital personnel, while the doctors and hospital administration lodged a counter-FIR. Patna Police have confirmed that both complaints have been registered and an investigation is ongoing.
Hospital authorities have since assured the RDA that CCTV installation in high-risk departments — including the Trauma Centre, Emergency, Labour Room, and ICUs — will begin within 72 hours.
Lovely Anand, the Sheohar MP and mother of the MLA, has not commented publicly on the matter. The standoff continues as both parties await the outcome of the police probe.
