Srinagar, July 25 -- Days after doctors at SMHS Hospital halted services following the assault of a colleague by an attendant, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday said that while such incidents must be investigated, shutting down essential services like operation theatres and emergency wards is unfair to patients.

Speaking to media during her visit to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, she said, "I agree that the incident should not have happened. But if someone has committed a crime, there is a rule and a law for that, and action should be taken accordingly."

She said the closure of hospital departments affects patients who come from far-off areas for treatment. "The patients who arrive the next day should not suffer. T...