Rising Assault Cases Against Medical Professionals at Cooper Hospital
Recent Incident Involving Intern Doctor
In recent months, Dr. R. N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital has witnessed an alarming increase in cases of alleged assaults against medical staff. A notable incident involved a 23-year-old female intern doctor who was reportedly kicked in the chest by an intoxicated patient during an examination.
Prior to the assault, the intern expressed her discomfort and reluctance to check the patient’s vitals, citing safety concerns. Despite her hesitations, she proceeded with the examination under the directive of the Chief Medical Officer.
Details of the Assault
The incident occurred early Wednesday morning when the patient, who was intoxicated upon arrival at approximately 4 a.m., displayed aggressive behavior immediately. According to a doctor affiliated with the interns’ association, the CMO insisted that the intern examine the patient, which led to the alleged assault, where the patient kicked her in the chest twice.
Reports from the Times of India (TOI) suggest that the hospital administration may have attempted to dissuade the intern from reporting the incident to the authorities. It remains unclear whether she has officially filed a police complaint.
Response from Hospital Administration
Dean Dr. Dev Shetty commented to TOI, characterizing the incident as a minor altercation and affirming that the decision to file a police complaint was left up to the intern.
Previous Assault Cases at Cooper Hospital
Violence Against Medical Staff
In November 2025, Medic Helpline reported a violent incident at Cooper Hospital involving a Casualty Medical Officer, a resident doctor from the Medicine department, and an intern doctor. They were allegedly assaulted by relatives of a deceased patient while on duty in the casualty ward.
The doctors reported severe injuries from repeated strikes to their faces, chests, and abdomens. Disturbingly, they noted that hospital security personnel were present during the incident but did not intervene, remaining passive spectators.
Recent Mob Incident
Additionally, a recent event saw a mob of approximately 40 to 50 individuals causing chaos at the hospital after a 40-year-old woman was declared dead on arrival. While no medical staff were physically assaulted, significant damage was inflicted on hospital property, including shattered glass panels and wrecked registration counters. Witnesses reported that the mob shouted at the doctors and attempted to intimidate them, even threatening arrests.