Chikkamagaluru (PTI): Doctors and staff at the Araluguppe Mallegowda District Hospital here staged a protest on Tuesday by shutting down the outpatient department after a woman allegedly grabbed a physician by his collar and hurled a footwear at him.

According to official sources, when the doctor, Venkatesh BS, was on duty at the emergency unit of the government hospital, a person named Irfan, who was injured in a scuffle, came for treatment.

"When the doctor was examining Irfan, a group of people, who were the patient's relatives, gathered there and were making noise. When the doctor asked everyone else other than the patient to go out, an argument broke out. One of the injured patient's kin named Taslim, who was apparently enraged, removed her footwear and hurled it at the doctor, she subsequently grabbed him by the collar and pulled him," they said.

Other doctors and staff of the hospital staged a protest by shutting down the outpatient department. They gathered in front of the district surgeon's office and demanded immediate arrest of those who assaulted the doctor.

The district surgeon wrote to the police, alleging abuse, assault and threat to the life of the doctor by persons involved in the incident.

He demanded registering a case against those involved in the incident and to take necessary legal action against them, and also to provide security to doctors and staff at the hospital to discharge their duty.

Sharing the video of the alleged incident on X, BJP MLC CT Ravi said: "Hon'ble Home Minister G Parameshwara should immediately arrest those who have committed such a despicable act, and take action to protect the medical staff. DGP Alok Mohan should immediately arrest the accused and create an environment where the medical staff can work with confidence in law and order."