In a shocking incident that raises serious concerns about the safety of medical professionals in India, a 55-year-old doctor was shot dead at a private nursing home in Delhi’s Jaitpur late last night. The victim, Dr. Javed Akhtar, a practitioner of Unani Medicine, was killed just weeks after the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
According to staff at Nima Hospital, two teenagers, believed to be around 16 or 17 years old, arrived at the facility late at night. One of them requested a dressing change for an injured toe, a follow-up to treatment received the previous evening. After the dressing was completed, the teenagers asked for a prescription and proceeded to Dr. Akhtar’s cabin.
Minutes later, nursing staff Gajala Parveen and Md Kamil heard a gunshot and rushed to the doctor’s cabin, where they discovered him bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. The police have indicated that this appears to be a targeted killing, and investigators suspect that the assailants may have visited the hospital the night before to survey the location.
As part of their investigation, law enforcement officials are reviewing CCTV footage from inside the hospital to identify the suspects. This incident follows the earlier case in Kolkata, which ignited nationwide protests from the medical community demanding improved safety for healthcare workers on duty.
In the wake of the Kolkata tragedy, the Supreme Court established a National Task Force aimed at recommending measures to enhance the safety of doctors while working. The recent shooting has provided the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with new material to criticize the central government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi.
“Delhi has become a crime capital—gangsters operating with ease, extortion calls, and daily murders. The Central Government and @LtGovDelhi have failed in their basic work for Delhi,” commented Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), which was instrumental in the protests following the Kolkata incident, expressed deep concern over the growing trend of violence against doctors. In a post on social media platform X, FORDA stated, “A doctor at NIMA hospital, #Delhi was shot dead at point-blank range yesterday night. According to @DelhiPolice, prima facie it’s a case of targeted killing—unprovoked and possibly planned. Why are doctors becoming easy targets in hospitals? Who will answer?”
The brutal killing of Dr. Akhtar highlights the urgent need for measures to protect healthcare professionals and ensure their safety while performing their duties. As investigations continue, the medical community and the public demand accountability and action from authorities to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Sources By Agencies
