Act sensitively with patients and visitors, IGIMS tells guards

Patna: A day after a TOI photojournalist was allegedly heckled by security personnel at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and compelled to delete photographs taken on the campus, the hospital’s deputy director and official spokesperson Dr Vibhuti Prasann Sinha said instructions had been issued to security personnel to remain sensitive while dealing with patients, attendants and visitors.

The latest episode has brought renewed attention to a series of complaints involving intimidation, assault and alleged high-handedness by security staff at leading state-run healthcare institutions.

At IGIMS, an MBBS student was allegedly assaulted on May 19 following an altercation with security guards and staff. The student claimed he was chased, beaten and dragged by the hair. Following the incident, one security guard was suspended.

Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) witnessed a major confrontation on May 28 when two attendants were allegedly beaten by security personnel after a dispute over parking escalated into a clash. The attendants claimed one of them suffered a serious head injury.

Patients and relatives visiting PMCH said such incidents were not isolated. Many alleged rude behaviour, harassment and excessive enforcement of entry and parking regulations by security personnel.

A resident of Gaya recalled being pushed out while seeking information about his father, who was admitted to an intensive care unit. He alleged that after questioning hospital authorities over the lack of information on his father’s condition, security guards were called in, his bag was thrown away and he was forcibly removed from the building.

Similar allegations had surfaced at AIIMS Patna in April 2023, when a video circulated on social media allegedly showed several security guards punching an attendant, striking him with sticks and dragging him by the hair. Witnesses in the video could be heard asking the guards to stop.

Responding to recurring complaints, PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiva Kumar Singh said the hospital regularly advises security personnel to remain polite and sensitive in their interactions.

He also urged attendants to cooperate with hospital authorities, saying managing large crowds in busy govt hospitals remains a challenge, particularly in air-conditioned wards and other high-footfall areas.