Shivani Thakur
Published on: June 24, 2022 at 16:04 IST
The Kerala High Court has stated that “ Every harm, intimidation, obstruction, or obstacle to a health care service employee, in the course of duty, is viewed as violence and should be curbed”.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas made the observation while dismissing an Anticipatory Bail plea by P. Arun, an accused in a case registered in connection with the attack on a doctor at the Pattambi Taluk Hospital.
According to the Court, attacks on medical professionals and facilities have increased at an unprecedented rate over the past 15 years. A law against violence against doctors was first passed by Kerala in response to the destructive effects of such crimes.
According to the Court, the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act was passed to outlaw violence against medical professionals and to guard against damage to and loss of property in medical facility.
The Court said that if pre-arrest bail was granted to the petitioner, a wrong message would also be sent to the public.