Technician stabs doctor during rounds

KARACHI:

Dr Masroor was with a patient in the Out-Patient Department when a man identified as Abdul Sattar walked in and attacked him with a knife.

Sattar wanted to slit his throat but only managed to damage the jugular vein and other neck muscles.

The doctor was at Civil Hospital, Karachi, working his regular shift at the ENT OPD when the incident took place. He was admitted to the hospital's surgical ICU in critical condition.

According to sources, Sattar had completed an operation theatre technician course from the hospital last year. He walked into the OPD around 11:30am and attacked the doctor, leaving him a bloody mess. Dr Masroor was rushed to the operation theatre with severe bleeding. Hospital sources claim that he is recovering.

Sattar managed to escape from the hospital premises amid tight security. Doctors and staff say that they are feeling quite insecure after the incident.

The administration has lodged a complaint at the Eid Gah police station and have provided the police with details of the attacker. They believe he will be traced soon.

"The attacker is not our employee," said an official from the hospital. "We condemn this attack and have asked the police to arrest him immediately." Several doctors condemned the attack and inadequate security measures at the hospital, and asked the administration to arrest and take action against the attacker.

"We are totally insecure," said Dr Ghulam Mujtaba Memon, the office bearer of the Sindh Doctors Welfare Association.

While talking about Dr Masroor, Dr Memon said that he had done his postgraduate from the hospital and was originally from Quetta.

Sources at the hospital said that there was a tussle between the two men over a girl for the last six months. They added that the real reason might come forward once the doctor recovers.

Another source claimed that the fight did happen over a girl who was also working at the hospital.

The Eid Gah police station SHO Aamir  said that a case had been registered against the culprit. He added that the attacker was from Karachi and he hoped to arrest him soon. The SHO claimed that the doctor's statement had been recorded and action would be taken against the attacker according to the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2014.