A video capturing a scuffle inside Al-Shifa Hospital has gone viral, sparking widespread debate in the locality over the state of safety and security within hospital premises. The incident, which has drawn sharp criticism, prompted the hospital’s director to speak to the OT, calling it a “deeply condemnable” episode that not only disrupts a place of healing but also tarnishes the image of the locality and the wider community.
Al-Shifa links clash to parking dispute in Shaheen Bagh
Hospital PRO Syed Marghoob Zaidi said it is important to clarify that the fight had nothing to do with our staff members or security guards. “Thursday night at around 10:05 pm, a young boy who runs a pharmacy shop on 40-feet Road came here with his father and brother. He had sustained injuries, possibly due to a parking dispute. He came to our hospital for first aid and for the MLC (Medico-Legal Certificate). While his treatment was ongoing, the same people he had a fight with earlier entered our premises and began assaulting him again, right here. Al-Shifa Hospital had no involvement in this. But when they used our premises for perpetuating violence that became intolerable,” he said.
Hospital is for healing, not clashes: Director Dr Ahmed
Al Shifa Hospital director Dr Ahmed Mirajuddin said: “I want to inform you all about the incident that took place on Thursday night. Some people came to this hospital for treatment from Shaheen Bagh and afterwards fight broke here again. A patient had come for treatment, but the people who had a fight with him earlier came back to the hospital just to attack him again. They continued their feud here inside the hospital premises. Eventually, the police came and took them away.
“If you bring such matters into hospitals, then how can we serve you? We are here only to serve the people and to provide healthcare services. Al-Shifa Hospital was built to treat people not to be turned into a battlefield for your personal disputes. I request and urge you all that in the future, we will take strict measures to prevent such behaviour. Please improve your conduct. These kinds of actions should not happen in hospitals, schools, or other public places. Such acts are damaging our unity and brotherhood. They are ruining the image of the Muslim community. Please, let’s refrain from this. That is my humble request to all of you.”
Marghoob clarified that as the video goes viral, it is creating the false impression that the fight was between hospital staff and the patient’s family, which is not true.
If incidents happen again, we will take legal action: Maghroob
“They must understand their limits. Other patients and their families could also be present here. A serious medical case could be going on and a heart patient could be in the middle of treatment. If such fights break out, a patient could lose their life. Some people are misusing this space and creating fights here. If such incidents happen again, we will take legal action against the culprits.
“I appeal to everyone to understand: Your own family members might also need treatment here. They could be lying unconscious. If you turn this place into a brawling ground, it could be fatal.
Those misusing this space will be strictly dealt with. We are fully prepared to take legal steps if such incidents recur,” he said.
Residents disturbed after watching video
A senior hospital staff told the OT that they have launched an enquiry to find out who grabbed the video and posted it on Facebook making it viral. Residents who watched the late-night viral video were left stunned and deeply disturbed as it showed a young boy being beaten within the hospital premises.
“This must be nipped in the bud. If such incidents are allowed to continue unchecked, it will become extremely difficult for the management to run the hospital in a peaceful and safe manner,” said a concerned resident who frequently visits the hospital.
While many residents have chosen to remain tight-lipped, citing a lack of clarity about the incident, a shared sense of shock and dismay lingers in the community. The clash, which took place inside a hospital meant to be a sanctuary of care and healing, has not only shaken public confidence but also highlighted the rising crime rate in the locality and the growing audacity of a few troublemakers who appear to act with impunity and without fear of the law.
