Hyderabad, Sep 11 (IANS): A female doctor was attacked by a patient at Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad here on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the casualty ward when a patient, who was intoxicated, tried to grab the doctor, an intern, and assaulted her without any provocation.

The patient in his late 40s, was brought to hospital for treatment by a relative and he attacked the intern while she was attending to another patient.

The intern’s apron was torn when she tried to save herself.

Fellow medicos and other staff members rushed to her rescue and quickly overpowered the attacker.

The accused was handed over to Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel and he was later taken to Chilkalguda Police Station.

The incident, captured on CCTV camera, shocked the medical fraternity at one of the largest government hospitals in Telangana.

The attack on the intern came against the backdrop of the recent strike by medicos demanding security following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) strongly condemned the incident and reported it to the Superintendent, who assured that an FIR would be filed without delay to address the situation appropriately.

The JUDA demanded swift and decisive action to ensure the safety and security of all medical staff and interns. Calling for a thorough investigation into the incident, the JUDA sought measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

The Gandhi Hospital recently witnessed protests by doctors over the recent rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. They along with junior doctors in other hospitals in the state went on strike. The 10-day strike ended on August 23 after Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha promised action on the demand for the deployment of Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel at all government hospitals.