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Violence Against Healthcare Staff in Delhi Escalates
16 Jan
Summary
- 149 assaults on medical staff reported in Delhi govt hospitals from 2021 to 2025.
- Less than a quarter of assaults resulted in formal FIRs, questioning accountability.
- Delhi govt relies on existing laws, rejecting calls for a separate law for doctor safety.
Violence targeting doctors and medical staff in Delhi's government hospitals has seen a significant rise over the past five years, with official data revealing 149 reported assaults between 2021 and 2025. The number of incidents escalated from 14 in 2021 to 49 in 2024, indicating a persistent and growing problem, likely exacerbated by overcrowding and staff shortages. Despite the concerning trend, only 33 institutional FIRs were registered, suggesting a significant gap in formal legal action and accountability.
The Delhi government has stated it is not considering a new law to address this violence, choosing instead to reinforce existing legal protections. Measures such as hospital security committees, increased guard presence, and CCTV installations have been implemented. However, these steps appear insufficient, as evidenced by recent incidents, including assaults on medical professionals in August and June 2025 in various city hospitals.
