Chandigarh: In the arguable “kidney removal case,” the Punjab government has suspended Amritsar Medical College, principal, Dr. Jaswinderpal Kaur Shergill. Together with Dr. Shergill, the administration has also suspended emergency duty officer Dr. H S Grewal.

The government has ordered a detailed investigation of the case. The inquiry has been allotted to a three member group led by Dr. U S Dhaliwal, Principal Sri Guru Ram Das Medical College and Hospital, Amritsar.

The other investigation group members include Dr. A S Thind, additional professor forensic medicine at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot and Dr Jai Kishan Saini, head of the TB Department of Medical College at Patiala.

At the same time as confirming the suspension of the principal, Tikshan Sud, Medical Education and Research Minister stated that Dr. Jagdish Gargi, Director-cum-Principal Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences would hold the additional charge of the Amritsar Medical College.

The case related to the alleged kidney removal of a girl during an operation at the Guru Nanak Dev hospital of the Medical College in 2006 by Dr. Shergill, who was the head of the surgery department, that time. But physicians who performed the surgical operation had opposed the kidney removal as it was wrong and ridiculous and after being removed it was sent for examination to the Pathology section.

In the meantime taking notice of a point concerning a stray dog bite case in Amritsar and the alleged mistreatment by the related doctor of the Amritsar Medical College hospital towards the patient, the Minister has ordered a new query into this issue also. The child who had the dog bite afterward passed away in hospital.

Dr. J S, Dalal Director Research and Medical Education (DRME) have been asked to present preliminary details related to the case in order that the responsible could be penalized for failing to attend a patient.

He added that Dr. A S Padda, Medical Superintendent of the Medical College hospital has been directed to explain the alleged allegations in this regard.

The Minister further told that a three member investigation group including Dr. Param Pal Singh Kunar, Joint Director of medical education, Dr. Krishan Kajal of Medical College, Faridkot and Dr. Mohinder Singh of Medical College, Patiala had been appointed to look into the allegations of ill-treatment of the dog bite patient.

The Minister stated that Amritsar Deputy Commissioner had been asked to give Rs 50,000 to the pained parents of the deceased child as compensation immediately.

Mr. Sud asked the medical staff to give complete attention to the patients. He monished that carelessness and laxness in doing responsibilities would not be tolerated at any cost.