Respected friends,
My name is Musadiq Alaqaband, I am a Pediatrician by profession and am presently posted at “CHILDREN HOSPITAL, GB PANT, SRINAGAR”.
Since last few days I am being harassed by someone named Mr. S M Rizvi who is a resident of Zadibal, Srinagar. Contact number +9170060*****, Mr. Rizvi few days back frantically called me on my phone and informed that his child was ill. I gave him a patient hearing and according the best possible advise to him for his ailing child.
As per the government directive, owing to the pandemic scenario all private clinics and consultations at home have been banned and rightly.
Giving scant consideration to my emergency duty obligations, Mr. Rizvi again called me next day but unfortunately I was not able to receive his call as i was on an ICU duty. On Sunday morning he called me yet again informing that his child was having fever. I accordingly advised him to visit the Hospital and get in touch with me subsequently.
Instead of going to the Hospital he visited my house in my absence, banged the door violently and harassed my family members in my absence. He was informed by my helper that doctor does not see any patients at home.
I may become a source of infection to patients in a home setup where there are no arrangements for patient care, since doctors are more exposed to patient transmitted infections.
I try to attend all calls of my patients whenever possible and respond to their WhatsApp messages promptly. My patients can vouch on this for me.
I am also a human being with my own set of problems. I have co-morbid Grand Parents at home. My Grandmother is on the Oxygen concentrator support. My Grandfather is Asthamatic with a chronic heart ailment. He is on a pacemaker.
My Father is heavily Diabetic with renal ailment. My Mother is hypertensive and is on permanent medication. Anyone can come to my home and check these facts. I cant even see my Grandparents and Parents at home as I fear for their well being. At home, I prefer to stay in isolation, least I could become a reason for trouble to my loved ones.
How can anyone expect me to see patients at home when I even don’t go near to my loved family members .
Same day on Sunday he wrote an insinuating Facebook post targeting me as a person and abusing me as a professional. He made all of my contact details public. His FB post has been shared by thousands of people since then and thousands of abuses and threats are being heaped on me continuously. My mother has gone into depression, my wife is inconsolable, my Grand parents have gone numb. My life has become a living hell.
I am being harassed by unknown people on phone and am being subjected to abuse and harassment. Yesterday night some unknown people hurled stones at my house. I am in receipt of multiple life threatening messages.
As a responsible citizen I ignored his FB post initially as I sympathised with him in view of his child being ill. Now its getting extremely difficult for me to bear all this vile and intimidation. I am not able to concentrate on my work. I am in constant fear that someone would come and mug me or someone would barge into my home and harm my parents.
I am uploading all the call details as proof in comments for all of you to see. It is up to you to judge and is imperative upon my fraternity to intervene into this matter, lest all the doctors would face the same fate, sooner or later.
If such a behaviour towards Doctors on the emergency duty is tolerated, I fear we may end up in a hopeless scenario where Doctors would feel scared in performing their duties. This is just the beginning, God forbid Covid situation may worsen, from hereon. Does that mean people should be allowed to gatecrash into residences of Doctors and threaten thier families.
All hospitals are open 24 × 7. Doctors are on duty serving the people to the best of their abilities. I am also in the list of Doctors on emergency duty.
It is now up to the conscience of those who are reading this to decide and tell me where my fault lies.
In case if any untoward incident happens with me or my family, please be informed, Mr. Rizvi shall be held wholly responsible to that. I urge upon authorities to take cognizance of the matter and ensure my safety. Additionally, Mr. Rizvi should be held accountable for the criminal intimidation with an intent to cause physical and mental harm to me and my family. I shall be within my rights to take a legal recourse against Mr. Rizvi for denting my reputation.
Thanks all for your patient hearing.
Sincerely yours,
Musadiq Allaqaband
(Doctor)