In a shocking attack, a young man identified as Vignesh assaulted Dr. Balaji Jagannath, an oncologist and educator at the state-run Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai. According to reports, Dr. Balaji was attacked while attending to Vignesh’s mother, a cancer patient. Severely injured, the doctor became the victim of Vignesh’s assault. The attacker allegedly suspected that the doctor had prescribed the wrong medication to his mother.
Hours after the incident, a video surfaced showing Vignesh calmly walking away from the scene after stabbing the doctor multiple times. The video captures the accused pulling the knife from his pocket, wiping the blade clean of blood, and then discarding it in a shaft before continuing to walk out of the hospital. As bystanders screamed, “He cut him up!”, security personnel quickly apprehended him.
Despite the severity of the attack, Vignesh responded calmly to the public, as if addressing a challenge, saying, “What if your mother or father had a problem?” Matters escalated when some bystanders tried to take the law into their own hands and began to beat Vignesh. However, a woman quickly intervened and prevented further harm to the attacker. Vignesh was subsequently handed over to the police.
Dr. Balaji suffered multiple stab wounds to his forehead, back, behind his ear, and stomach. Given that he has a pacemaker, his life remains at risk. However, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian recently assured the public that Dr. Balaji’s condition is stable, and he is currently receiving treatment in the ICU.
Case Filed Against Vignesh Under 5 Sections
A case has been filed against Vignesh under five sections, including attempted murder. The Guindy police registered the case on November 13, 2024, after receiving a complaint from Dr. Sethurajan, Assistant Professor at Guindy Government Hospital. The police have charged Vignesh under Sections BNS 127(2), 132, 307, and 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code, with the most serious charge being attempted murder.
The attack has raised alarming concerns about the safety of medical professionals, an issue that has gained national attention in recent months. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin condemned the attack and ordered an inquiry into the incident. In a statement posted on X, he emphasized the invaluable services of doctors and assured that the state government is committed to ensuring their safety. “It is our responsibility to ensure their safety…The government will take measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future,” he said.
The attack has reignited the debate over doctor protection, which became a national issue after the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor by two of her patients at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August. Following this incident, a National Task Force set up as a result of a Supreme Court directive recommended steps to improve security for doctors on duty.
As the story continues to unfold, the medical profession and the public are calling for tighter measures to protect doctors, who, now more than ever, seem to be targeted by violent attacks while trying to save lives.
