Chandigarh, May 24 -- In yet another act of violence against doctors, a junior resident was slapped, kicked and dragged by the family of a newborn inside the Neonatology ICU (NICU) at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Thursday afternoon. The assault, which took place in broad daylight and in full view of hospital staff, occurred after the critically ill newborn's mother accused the doctor of causing bruises during a routine medical procedure. According to the complaint lodged by Dr Siddharth Chakraborty, a fifth semester junior resident in the department of paediatrics, the assault took place around 12.20 pm in the NICU on the third floor of Nehru Hospital. The doctor alleged that he was attacked by the patient's mother, Manpreet Kaur, and her male relatives. Dr Chakraborty, in his written complaint addressed to the security in-charge of PGIMER, stated that the incident began when he was assisting another junior doctor, Dr Paras Kandpal, in securing a difficult IV cannula for the newborn, Prabhleen Kaur. Shortly afterwards, the infant reportedly developed bruises on the neck, which the mother blamed on Dr Chakraborty. She allegedly threatened him and called in relatives, who arrived soon after and began physically assaulting him. "The mother slapped me multiple times and kicked me. Her relatives dragged me by the collar and beat me repeatedly before I managed to escape and run back into the ICU," said Dr Chakraborty in his complaint. Following the incident, PGI security officials alerted the police outpost located at the institute. Assistant sub-inspector Jatinder Pal Singh, along with constables, responded to the call. The injured doctor was taken to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where a medico-legal report was issued, confirming the injuries sustained. Based on preliminary investigation and verification of the complaint, Chandigarh Police registered a case under Sections 121(1) and 132 (3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Manpreet Kaur and other unidentified individuals involved in the assault. The investigation is ongoing. The assault triggered widespread condemnation across PGIMER. The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), in a statement issued by its president Dr Vishnu Jinja, called the incident "deeply concerning and unacceptable". "Violence against doctors is unacceptable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law. Doctors are here to heal, not to be hurt. The safety of every healthcare worker is non-negotiable," Dr Jinja said. He also emphasised the need for urgent security enhancements across the hospital. ARD representatives met PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal immediately after the incident and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators. The director assured the residents of firm and timely action, and personal follow-up on the progress of the case. In the wake of the assault, the hospital's security department has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the incident and implementing preventive measures to avert any such incidents in the future. The ARD has also demanded deployment of more security personnel in high-risk units and stricter entry regulations for attendants....