A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer allegedly verbally abused a resident doctor at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, on Sunday, leading to a temporary suspension of emergency ward operations. The confrontation reportedly stemmed from dissatisfaction over the treatment of his wife, who was receiving postoperative care.
Brijendra Kumar Yadav, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Armed Police and Training in Puducherry, had his wife, Anita Roy, admitted to the hospital’s Sports Injury Centre (SIC) following surgery. The situation escalated when Yadav confronted Dr Lakshya, a resident in the surgery department.
According to witnesses cited by The New Indian Express, Yadav, accompanied by several individuals in police uniform, approached Dr Lakshya in a threatening manner, shouting and making hostile gestures. A CCTV recording, purportedly of the incident, shows a man, allegedly Yadav, angrily gesturing and pointing at the doctor. While the footage lacks audio, the body language displayed clear aggression.
An audio clip, later shared by the official X account of the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) of Safdarjung Hospital, allegedly captured Yadav saying, “Jitna padhke aaya hai na, uss se dugna main padh aa chuka hu, so don’t think you are indispensable” (I have studied twice as much as you have, so don’t think you are irreplaceable).
The incident triggered widespread protests among the hospital’s medical staff. Doctors refused to work in the emergency ward until the matter was addressed, disrupting operations temporarily. Emergency services resumed only after the hospital reportedly requested Yadav and his wife to leave the premises.
Dr Rajat Gangwar, a senior resident in the SIC department, stated that the altercation began during a surgical reference call. “The resident doctor was verbally assaulted and threatened regarding his career while assessing the patient. My colleagues and seniors raised concerns with the authorities, but we received no satisfactory response from either the SIC consultant or the hospital administration. Consequently, we were compelled to withdraw our duties in the emergency ward until the matter was resolved,” Dr Gangwar told The New Indian Express.
The RDA of Safdarjung Hospital issued a strong statement condemning the alleged harassment. “The behaviour of Mr Brijendra Kumar Yadav, husband of patient Mrs Anita Roy, was disgraceful and unacceptable. Such actions, particularly by a senior government official, violate the dignity of healthcare professionals who work tirelessly to serve patients,” the statement read.
The association demanded a public apology from Yadav to restore the morale and dignity of the hospital’s staff. “This unfortunate incident highlights the repeated challenges and harassment faced by doctors in the line of duty,” the RDA stated.
The association also called on the hospital administration to ensure accountability and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. They stressed the need to reinforce the safety and respect of healthcare professionals working in challenging circumstances.
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