Mob most foul attacks funeral of city doc

Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.04.2020

Ignorance and heartlessness were in full display in the wee hours of Monday when separate groups of residents at Kilpauk and Anna Nagar tried to deny an honourable burial for a doctor who had died of Covid-19 on Sunday.

At Velangadu near Anna Nagar, a mob attacked the ambulance carrying Dr Simon Hercules’s mortal remains, injuring three people around midnight. The body was finally buried with police protection around 3am. Earlier, the corporation and the ambulance crew had to turn away from the TP Chathram crematorium as another group of residents had gathered there.

Dr Simon Hercules, a neurosurgeon and managing director of New Hope Medical Centre in Kilpauk, had died in a private hospital due to cardiac arrest after battling the novel coronavirus. He was seeing several patients with flu-like symptoms, but it is not clear from where he contracted the virus. His daughter, who is a doctor, had also tested positive for the virus.

Hearing about the burial, a group armed with sticks and stones gathered at the Velangadu burial ground in Anna Nagar.

The ambulance carrying the mortal remains of Dr Simon Hercules was attacked at Velangadu near Anna Nagar

Ambulance damaged, three men accompanying doc’s body injured.  They damaged the ambulance that carried the doctor’s body. Two of the ambulance crew, Anand and Damodharan, and an assistant executive engineer with the city corporation, Kaliyarasan, were injured in the attack.

The ambulance, with the body, went to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital to give medical aid to the injured people. Meanwhile, Dr Pradeep Kumar, a junior colleague of Dr Hercules, arrived and drove the ambulancebacktotheburial ground, this time with police escort. On Monday, Police booked 21 people including a woman under various charges including attempt to murder. Medical professionals across the state condemned the disrespect andcruelty metedoutto a doctor.

The Tamil Nadu wing of Indian Medical Association (IMA) appealed to chief minister EdappadiKPalaniswamito takestrong legal action against those who indulged in violence. Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association president Dr K Senthil condemned the incident and said doctors and other healthcare professionswere putting themselves at risk while continuing to treat Covid-19 patients with dedication and responsibility.

Doctors, nurses and other health workers of Ambur Government Hospital wore black arm bands as a mark of protest against the Chennai mob attack. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar expressed displeasure attheincident and assuredthat the government would stand by its healthcare workers. “He (Dr Hercules) was one of our frontline workers. It is the duty of our governmenttolook after the welfare of our doctors and healthcare professionals. I can assure that the virus does not spread from mortal remains and I appeal to the public to be compassionate,” the minister said.

Earlier,thefuneralof a doctor from Nellore who had died in thecity toofacedsimilar protests from residents in Ambattur and Tiruverkadu.

Doctors’ association appealed to CM to take strong legal action against those who resorted to the violence