Telangana HC Calls Upon State Govt. For Information On Security At Hospitals After Attack On Doctors, Destruction Of Property [Read Order]

On Wednesday last week, Telangana High Court took stock of a letter initiated as a PIL seeking directions to the State Government for remarks and records in connection with the security arrangement(s) made by the police to Doctors & other supporting staff treating COVID19.

"In compliance with the directions of His Lord the Hon'ble Chief justice on the office note dated 04.04.2020 filed under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the letter dated 02.04.2020 sent by the petitioner herein through email, this hon'ble court may be pleased to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or Orders more particularly, on ein the nature of a Writ of Mandanmus to call for remarks and records form the Respondents herein relating to and in coonection with the inaction of the State Governemnt to take appropriate steps in providing security to the Doctors and other supporting staff who are treating COVID19 patients..."

A bench comprising Cheif Justice Sri Raghvendra Singh Chauhan & Justice T. Amarnath Goud directed the Advocate General appearing on behalf of the State Government and concerned Authorities to inform the Court about security arrangements being made at those hospitals, which are specificallY designated for treating COVID-19 patients, both in Hyderabad as well as in other cities of the state on on before April 16, 2020. 

The Court took up the issue in light of a letter dated April 2, 2020 filed by Advocate K. Karuna Sagar which highlighted a "shocking incident" that allegedly took place on April 1, 2020, wherein Duty Doctors treating the COVID 19 Patients were attacked by the family members of a deceased COVID19 patient and destroyed the hospital property by breaking the windows, who developed COVID19 after attending the Tablighi Jamat meeting at Delhi's Nizammuddin.

The letter stated that,

"...though the doctors and staff are working 24/7 for the last one month, this type pf inhuman behaviour towards doctors and staff if highly condemnable and stringent action should be taken against miscreants and that this type of incidents took place in Khammam and Nizammuddin Districts also and nemch non-bailable cases should be registered against the assaulters under IPC, particularly u/s 11 of Telangana Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Precention of violence and damage to property) Act, 2008."

The matter will now come up for hearing on April 17, 2020.

Click Here To Read Order

[Read Order]