Coronavirus: Indian doctor dragged and thrashed by cops in public in a viral video

In a viral Twitter video, a doctor in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, was seen being thrashed and dragged on the road by cops on Saturday. Reportedly, Dr Sudhakar was stripped to the waist, before policemen tied his hands up, dragged him, and took him away in an auto rickshaw.

#JusticeForDrSudhakar became a popular hashtag on Monday, with tweep questioning why the medic was being manhandled.

Sharing a part of the video, tweep @FreakyChakram asked: “What is happening in Andhra Pradesh? Why are doctors treated this way? #JusticeForDrSudhakar”

Apparently, on April 8, Dr Sudhakar of the Area Hospital in Narsipatnam, had been suspended from duty after he complained about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for doctors and healthworkers in the state. Tweep @sairamogirala posted: “This is Dr. Sudhakar who was suspended for complaining about lack of N-95 masks. Police thrashed him and tied his hands behind his back. The most brutal art anyone can ever create. #JusticeForDrSudhakar”

Tagging the country’s Prime Minister, tweep @NaraRakesh posted: “This is how doctors are getting treated in Andhra Pradesh. Please look into this sir, it’s every citizen’s responsibility to protect our doctors and front line workers.”

However, after the video went viral, cops said the doctor had stripped himself and was “creating a nuisance in an inebriated state”.

The hindustantimes.com reported: “The Visakhapatham police on Saturday, 16 May, tied up the hands of a local doctor, and dragged him on the road for allegedly creating nuisance in an inebriated state. The cops then put him in an auto-rickshaw.”

The police commissioner of Visakhapatnam RK Meena said in a statement that the constable who heckled Sudhakar had been suspended, and an inquiry was underway.

However, he alleged that Sudhakar was in a ‘drunken state’ and that he snatched a constable’s phone and threw it away.

The Visakhapatnam police said that the anesthetist has been booked under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 472 (making or possessing counterfeit seal) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, some tweeps have asked if it was the way to treat a doctor, just because he had questioned the state government.

Tweep @rajatham12 posted: “These days you cannot question leaders of a state or the country, you will be dragged into such a mess. A doctor that, too, when we need them the most.”

According to Hindustantimes.com article, Telugu Desam Party politburo member Varla Ramaiah said: “It was an inhuman treatment meted out to a Dalit doctor for questioning the inefficiency of the government. The police and the ruling party leaders are trying to project him as a mentally challenged person to defend their action.”

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner, RK Meena added: “We didn't know that he was a doctor till we reached the spot. He was completely drunk. When the police tried to control him, he shouted obscenities at them. He tore his shirt and sat on the road, creating nuisance in public.”

She added that the doctor was "suffering from psychotic disorder" and has been sent to King George Hospital (KGH) for medical tests,” according to a News18.com article.