Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Jan 6 (IANS): Two resident doctors at the Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College and Hospital here were stabbed with a knife by a mentally unstable patient, sparking off an agitation among the medicos, officials said on Friday.

The incident happened late Thursday evening when one of the first-year general surgery doctors was on the rounds of the ward, Yavatmal Superintendent of Police Dr. Pawan Bansod told mediapersons.

Suddenly, a patient lunged forward and stabbed him in the neck and back with a fruit knife, injuring him seriously.

Seeing this, another medico who was checking patients nearby rushed to his help, and the attacking patient stabbed him also, leaving him hurt badly and bleeding on the floor.

Both the young medicos are now under treatment while the doctors at the hospital have gone on a strike.

Amid an uproar, the local police rushed to the ward and caught the patient, identified as one Suraj Thakur, and later placed him under arrest.

The police said the accused had attempted to commit suicide by stabbing himself with a knife on Tuesday and was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Taking strong note, Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) President Dr. A. Dahpule, expressed support to the injured surgeons and strongly condemned the incident.

He pointed out that this is the second incident of violence against the medical fraternity and called upon all doctors to raise their voice and register their protests, and called upon the Maharashtra government to arrange proper security for medicos vulnerable to such attacks.

Late on Thursday, the doctors and staff at the hospital staged a vociferous demonstration outside the hospital and raised slogans against the hospital administration and the government.