Shimla, Dec. 26 -- Healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh's capital are set to face significant disruption on Friday as the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) proceeds with a day-long mass casual leave protest. The protest follows the termination of Dr Raghav Narula, a senior resident in the department of pulmonary medicine at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital, who was dismissed after a video showing him in a physical altercation with a patient went viral. The incident, which occurred on December 22, involved Dr Narula and 36-year-old Arjun Pawar from Chopal. In addition to his dismissal, the Shimla police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the doctor at the Shimla Sadar Police Station under Sections 125(a), 115(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While the state government acted swiftly to terminate his services on Wednesday, the RDA contends the action was disproportionate, especially since a college inquiry committee reportedly found both the patient and the doctor responsible for the incident. RDA president Dr Sohil Sharma announced that while emergency services will remain operational, all routine services, including out-patient departments (OPDs) and elective operation theaters, will be shut. The association is scheduled to meet CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu this morning to present their demands. "We demand immediate revocation of the dismissal order issued against Dr Raghav," Dr Sharma stated. The RDA is also seeking the registration of an FIR against one Naresh Dasta, who allegedly threatened the doctor, and legal action against a mob that reportedly damaged government property during the incident. Furthermore, the RDA has called for a comprehensive review of security lapses at IGMC, citing a lack of CCTV coverage despite previous warnings about such deficiencies. The Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) has also extended its support, joining the mass leave today. They warned that if demands are not met, only emergency services will be available from December 27. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA), a national body, has submitted a representation to the chief minister, urging a "balanced" assessment of the situation. While acknowledging the need for professional conduct, FORDA cautioned against "prejudging either party based solely on partial video clips" and called for a transparent, time-bound inquiry that considers possible provocation or security failures. The Ladakh Medical Association (LMA) also expressed solidarity, with president Dr Mehdi Ali describing the termination as "unjust." The LMA alleged the doctor was a victim of violence acting in self-defense and called for legal action against those who circulated "misleading content." CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while paying tributes to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday, reiterated that the doctor's conduct was "unacceptable." He noted that the government has already improved working conditions by reducing shifts from 48 hours to 12 hours and nearly doubling stipends to Rs.1.3 lakh. "No matter what the situation is, a doctor attacking a patient is unacceptable," the CM said, though he added that the government is working on standard operating procedures (SOPs) to limit the number of attendants allowed with patients to ensure doctor safety. The political opposition has used the crisis to criticize the state's healthcare management. BJP state president Dr Rajeev Bindal described the incident as a symptom of a "collapsed system," stating that "cutting off one finger because it has an infection is not treatment." Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur emphasised the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and urged the government to take preventive steps for the future without directly commenting on the termination itself....