In a horrific incident today, Wednesday, November 13, a Chennai doctor at Kalaignar Multi-speciality Hospital was stabbed by a patient's kin at around 10.15 am in the oncology department. The accused, identified as a 26-year-old man, entered the hospital posing as a patient to meet Dr Balaji Jaganathan, a medical oncologist, TOI reported.
Upon entering the doctor’s room, the man attacked Dr Jaganathan with a knife, stabbing him in the neck, head, and upper chest. The doctor also sustained injuries to his ear while defending himself. Hospital staff apprehended the attacker as he attempted to flee the scene and is currently in custody at the Guindy police station.
Preliminary investigations reveal the suspect’s mother received cancer treatment at the same hospital between May and November of this year. The suspect, accompanied by three others, allegedly planned to take revenge on the doctor regarding his mother’s unsatisfactory treatment outcome.
Doctor condition
Dr Jaganathan is currently undergoing surgery and remains in critical condition. “He has suffered multiple injuries to the scalp, head, neck, and ear. We are assessing the injuries. His condition is critical,” Hospital Director Dr L Parthasarathy told TOI.
According to the latest reports, the doctor's condition is now stable.
CM reacts
Reacting to the brutal incident, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Stalin, said on X (formerly Twitter), "Shocking incident where doctor working at Kindi Kalyan Centenary Hospital Mr Balaji was stabbed by a family member of the patient. The person involved in this atrocity was immediately arrested. Doctor Mr. I have ordered Balaji to give them all the necessary treatment and to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident."
"The selfless work of our government doctors is immeasurable in providing appropriate treatment to the patients who seek government hospitals regardless of time. It is our duty to ensure their safety during this work," Stalin said adding, "The government will take all measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."
