New Delhi

While doctors have been protesting for their safety for over a month in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, the capital city New Delhi witnessed a gruesome murder where a 55-year-old doctor was shot dead by two teenagers in the early hours of Thursday (Oct 3). 

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According to the hospital staff, the two accused, aged between 16 and 17, arrived at the Nima Hospital, in Delhi's Jaitpur area, at around 1.30 am local time, seeking treatment.

One of them requested a change of dressing for his injured toe, having been treated a night earlier. However, after the dressing was done, the duo said they wanted a prescription and went to the cabin of Dr Javed Akhtar, a practitioner of Unani Medicine.

After reaching the cabin, they shot Dr Akhtar in the head, leaving him to die. Nursing staff Gajala Parveen and Md Kamil arrived on the scene minutes later and saw the doctor bleeding from his head. 

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"At around 1 am, two teenage boys came to the hospital for treatment. After the treatment, they entered the doctor's cabin and shot him in the head. Dr Javed was on night duty from 8 pm. He worked in the hospital for two years," one of the staffers said. 

Polic is of the view that it was a case of targeted killing and the assailants' visit the previous night could have been for a recce.

Also watch | New twist in Kolkata doctor rape-murder case

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Doctors' safety questioned 

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) raised questions regarding the safety of doctors in the country and demanded thorough investigation into the case. 

"An incident like this happening at workplace of a doctor, in the capital city of India? Isn’t this a blatant disregard for law and order in the city? Why are doctors becoming easy targets in the hospitals? Who will answer? @LtGovDelhi @CMODelhi @AtishiAAP @ArvindKejriwal," FORDA said in a post on X. 

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Meanwhile, ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trained guns on Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over the law and order situation in the national capital as the Delhi Police reports to the Central government. 

"Delhi has become crime capital - Gangsters operating with ease, extortion calls and firings and daily murders. Central Govt & @LtGovDelhi have failed in their basic work for Delhi," Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said. 

Also read | Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Junior doctors in India's West Bengal resume their 'total cease work'

The incident comes in the backdrop of a junior trainee doctor being brutally raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in July, leading to strong protests regarding the safety of doctors in the country. 

(With inputs from agencies)