A public handshake and embrace on Tuesday brought a formal end to the December 22 assault case at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, involving sacked senior resident doctor Dr Raghav Narula and patient Arjun Panwar. The reconciliation marks a closure to an incident that had triggered a statewide doctors’ strike and severely disrupted healthcare services across Himachal Pradesh.
Apologies exchanged in CM adviser’s office
The reconciliation took place in the office of the Chief Minister’s principal media adviser, Naresh Chauhan, where both Dr Narula and Panwar apologised to each other and to the people of Himachal Pradesh for the inconvenience caused by their altercation.
Chauhan described the episode as “unfortunate” and said that constructive dialogue had helped resolve the issue amicably. He noted that the incident had escalated unexpectedly, resulting in widespread protests by doctors and suspension of medical services in several hospitals.
Public gesture of reconciliation
In a symbolic act, the doctor and the patient shook hands and embraced in front of officials and family members. Both stated that the scuffle had occurred suddenly and without premeditation.
Dr Narula’s mother appealed for unity, saying that both the doctor and the patient were like her children and that bitterness should give way to understanding. Her remarks added an emotional note to the reconciliation process.
Patient thanks government, regrets disruption
Arjun Panwar thanked the Himachal Pradesh Government and the general public for their support during the controversy. He expressed regret over the disruption caused to patients due to the doctors’ strike, which had affected OPDs and surgeries across the state.
In a lighter moment, Panwar said he would attend Dr Narula’s upcoming wedding if invited, drawing smiles from those present and underlining the spirit of closure.
Family credits CM for resolution
Panwar’s father credited Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for ensuring justice and facilitating a peaceful resolution to the matter. He welcomed the reconciliation and said it would help restore normalcy in the state’s healthcare system.
The incident had sparked widespread outrage among the medical fraternity, leading to protests and work stoppages that strained healthcare delivery. With the case now resolved through dialogue, hospital services are expected to return fully to normal.