Gandhinagar/Rajkot: Allegations of ragging have once again rocked Gujarat’s medical education system, with the state govt on Wednesday suspending nine resident doctors from two govt medical colleges after complaints of physical and mental harassment of junior doctors.Three resident doctors from BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad and six from Sir T Govt Medical College in Bhavnagar have been suspended following separate ragging incidents involving first-year residents.All nine suspended doctors belong to the orthopaedics departments of their respective colleges.State’s junior health minister Praful Pansheriya said an inquiry committee headed by the dean of Bhavnagar Medical College has been constituted and is expected to submit its report by Thursday evening, following which further action will be taken.According to the minister, 13 first-year resident doctors at Sir T Govt Medical College in Bhavnagar submitted complaints against six senior resident doctors, alleging mental harassment, intimidation and abusive treatment over the past four months.The complainants alleged that even minor or unintentional mistakes by a single resident would result in all 13 first-year doctors being summoned, often at odd hours, and collectively punished by senior doctors. Among the punishments allegedly imposed was being forced to repeatedly write the same sentence hundreds or even thousands of times.Some junior doctors further alleged that they were made to stand outside operation theatres, wards and departmental premises throughout the night. They claimed they were required to upload photographs in a WhatsApp group at regular intervals as proof that they remained standing at the designated locations.In Ahmedabad, three resident doctors of BJ Medical College were suspended following complaints filed with the UGC’s anti-ragging mechanism. According to sources, first-year resident doctors alleged that they were forced to perform sit-ups and were subjected to physical abuse, including being pinched by senior doctors.A medical examination confirmed the presence of pinch marks on the bodies of some complainants. Sources said that after an initial complaint failed to result in action, a second complaint was filed, prompting authorities to initiate disciplinary proceedings.The suspended doctors have been barred from entering their respective campuses and from appearing in examinations during the suspension period. Sources said one doctor from BJ Medical College has been suspended for one year, while the other two have been suspended for six months.The latest incident has also revived memories of a similar case at B.J. Medical College about three years ago, when three resident doctors from the orthopaedics department were suspended for ragging. In that case, one of the victims had reportedly suffered a damaged eardrum during the ordeal. Sources said the suspension period of one of the doctors was subsequently reduced.
