Srinagar, July 18: Patient care services at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H), Jammu, have been severely disrupted on Thursday due to an ongoing strike by junior doctors over the alleged assault on two female doctors by a patient’s relative. The situation has raised concerns over patient safety and the continuity of care.

As the strike enters second consecutive day, it has crippled key services including outpatient care, in-patient treatment, and elective surgeries, while emergency services were being managed with difficulty by senior doctors and consultants, but the limited staff has put immense pressure on the system, raising concerns about patient safety

A standoff between the protesting doctors and the family of a deceased patient further escalated the tension, with both parties trading serious allegations. The resident doctors accused the patient’s kin of physically assaulting their colleagues, while the deceased’s family blamed the doctors for medical negligence, which they claim led to the death.

In a show of anger and solidarity, junior doctors staged a protest demonstration outside the Emergency Ward, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused attendant. Holding placards and raising slogans, the doctors asserted they would not resume duties until justice is delivered.

“Our colleagues were assaulted while discharging their duties. We demand immediate police action. Until the arrest is made, we will not return to work,” said one of the protesting doctors.

To manage the disruption, senior faculty members have stepped in to fill the operational vacuum. Dr Ashutosh Gupta, Principal and Dean of GMC Jammu, assured that the administration is doing everything possible to mitigate the crisis. “Our senior doctors are managing the hospital operations. We are prioritising emergency cases to ensure no critically ill patient suffers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah, Secretary of Health and Medical Education, convened a late-night meeting on Wednesday with representatives of the agitating doctors. He urged them to return to work in the interest of public health and assured them that strict legal action would be initiated against those found guilty. However, the doctors remained unmoved, insisting that no talks would progress until the accused was arrested.

As the strike drags on, hundreds of patients and their families are facing mounting inconvenience. Routine operations have been thrown into disarray, and with no arrest or breakthrough in talks reported till the last update, the stalemate threatens to prolong the disruption.

The situation has reignited debate over workplace safety for medical professionals and the urgent need for stronger security measures in government hospitals.

Srinagar, July 18: Eight pilgrims en route to the holy Amarnath shrine were injured after a truck hit their Innova car near Battal Ballian in Udhampur district.

According to officials, “The accident occurred when a truck bearing registration number PB65AV/9318 hit Innova (UP81BN/3701), which was carrying pilgrims from the Pahalgam Yatra route.”

As per preliminary reports, eight passengers were onboard the vehicle at the time of the accident. Three of whom sustained minor injuries and were treated on the spot. However, five others suffered more serious injuries and were immediately rushed to the Government Medical College (GMC) Associated Hospital in Udhampur for further medical attention.

Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.

Jammu, Jul 17: Junior doctors in Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Jammu Thursday continued to be on strike amid protests for the second day against alleged assault on a couple of their colleagues by the attendants of a patient on July 16.

An FIR was registered in the case on Wednesday after the incident yet the junior doctors refused to join their duties till the arrest of the main accused in the alleged assault case.

Though senior doctors, all faculty members and Consultants performed duties in the Emergency and other wings, the functioning of GMC hospital Jammu remained affected and patients from far flung areas continued to suffer.

Mohd Taj, a patient from Rajouri, while sharing his plight, said that he had come all the way from the border district for bone and joints related treatment but the junior doctors refused to see him stating till the person who assaulted their colleague was not arrested, they would not see patients.

“Many patients like me have come from far-off places. If it continues like this, they will die without treatment. The Government should immediately intervene to save innocent patients craving for immediate attention,” he said.

Som Nath Dabgotra, a social activist, blamed the administration for not being able to end the stalemate. “Patients are suffering. FIR has already been registered. Doctors are seeking arrest of the accused. It takes time in fulfilling the procedures. Doctors should resume duties till then. It’s criminal to see patients suffering.

Mudasir, an attendant with a patient from Sudh Mahadev in Chenani, too sought immediate intervention of the administration by resolving the issue with junior doctors to address the plight of patients from distant places.

Junior doctors deployed in the Emergency wing of Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Jammu on Wednesday evening went on a flash strike to protest an alleged “act of violence against doctors by the attendants of a patient.”

To manage the crisis situation following their flash strike and in the interest of patient care, Principal and Dean, GMC Jammu, Dr Ashutosh Gupta directed all the Clinical and Paraclinical Heads of Departments to ensure the deployment of their faculty members and Consultants in the Emergency GMC Hospital, Jammu till junior doctors would resume their duties.

Later in a press conference, GMC, Jammu administration condemned the “act of violence” against doctors by the attendants of a patient in the Emergency.

“In a gruesome incident that happened on July 16,2025, the attendants of the patients resorted to physical and verbal violence against doctors on duty in the emergency. The incident took place after the death of a terminally ill patient,” Dr Gupta said.

“It is pertinent to mention here that a patient had been referred back from PGI to the Government Medical College, Jammu with the following complications of brain haemorrhage. As per PGI treatment discharge slip, it was clearly mentioned that the patient was suffering from massive brain haemorrhage and poor prognosis was explained to the attendants of the patient,” he said.

Dr Ashutosh said that the attendants were advised to get “basic medical and nursing care” at a local hospital. However, in GMC, Jammu, the patient was offered the best possible treatment.

“On the 5th day of the admission, the patient expired due to respiratory arrest. Unfortunately, the patient’s attendants attacked physically and verbally a lady doctor and other staff of GMC, Jammu. The CCTV cameras clearly show attendants of the patient kicking and beating the lady doctor,” he said.

Meanwhile Indian Medical Association (IMA) Jammu and GMC Doda doctors too have supported the protesting junior doctors.