Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, December 24
A senior resident doctor at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, has been terminated from service following an official inquiry into a scuffle with a patient, according to an order issued by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Himachal Pradesh.
The order said a preliminary report was received from the disciplinary inquiry committee of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital regarding an incident involving a 36-year-old male patient, identified as Arjun, and Dr Raghav Nirula, a senior resident in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine.
Based on the initial findings, the hospital’s disciplinary committee recommended that the doctor be placed on leave pending further investigation. An FIR was also registered by the patient’s attendants against the doctor, and the matter is under police investigation.
The order said that after examining the preliminary inquiry report and video footage of the incident, Dr Nirula was placed under suspension from his senior residency on December 22 under Clause 9 of the Resident Doctor Policy, 2025, with immediate effect.
A separate inquiry committee was subsequently constituted by the state government on December 23 to examine all aspects of the incident and submit a fact-finding report within 72 hours. The committee submitted its report to the authorities on 24 December.
“On perusal of the inquiry report, it was found that both parties — the patient and the senior resident doctor — were responsible for the incident,” the order said, adding that the conduct amounted to misconduct, misbehaviour and acts unbecoming of a public servant, in violation of the Resident Doctor Policy, 2025.
In view of these findings, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research ordered the termination of Dr Nirula’s services from the post of senior resident in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at IGMC Shimla, with immediate effect.
Copies of the order have been forwarded to the state health secretary, the director of health services, the principal of IGMC Shimla and the medical superintendent for information and necessary action.
