A doctor was allegedly attacked at a primary health centre in East Midnapore on Sunday amid the ongoing protests by doctors demanding workplace security in the wake of the RG Kar tragedy.

The doctor was allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient after he recommended an X-ray elsewhere, and referred the injured patient to a district hospital.

The incident occurred in Bhagabanpur, where Mintu De, attached to the Kajlagarh primary health centre, was allegedly dragged from his chair and beaten up by the patient's relatives.

De lodged a complaint with Bhagabanpur police, naming three persons, including the prime accused, Ratan Ghorai. No arrests have been made so far.

“We reviewed CCTV footage. The accused have been identified. A case has been started and a search for suspects is underway,” said Debidayal Kundu, Egra SDPO.

The assault left De with a cut on his lips and an injury to his left ear.

The confrontation began when a man, suspected of having fractured his collarbone in a bike accident earlier on the day, was brought to the hospital by his relatives around 1.30pm. De, on duty in the emergency unit, examined the patient, advised an X-ray to confirm fracture and referred him to Tamluk district hospital for an orthopedic consult.

The patient’s relatives insisted that the hospital should provide the X-ray and specialised treatment, despite being told such facilities did not exist at the primary health centre. "They accused me of neglect," De said. "Despite their abusive language, I stayed calm. Suddenly, they started hitting me. My colleagues saved me from more harm."

The hospital staff informed the police, but by then the patient and kin had fled.

Ghorai denied assault charges. “De frequently refers patients elsewhere without ensuring adequate care and insists on people buying medicines from outside. Our protest was against his negligence, not an attack on him.”