Shimla: In a rare and deeply humane gesture, the bitter confrontation between a doctor and a patient at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, finally came to an end on Tuesday, restoring faith in dialogue over confrontation in the government health care institutions.
Senior Resident Dr Raghav Narula and patient Arjun Panwar, whose altercation had snowballed into a statewide doctors’ strike and paralysed health services for days, publicly hugged each other, signalling closure to a controversy that had shaken Himachal Pradesh’s premier medical institution.
The reconciliation, marked by handshakes, apologies and an emotional embrace, reflected what HimbuMail.com had consistently underlined in its reportage — that healing the fractured doctor–patient relationship was as crucial as resolving the administrative fallout of the incident.
Both Dr Narula and Panwar apologised not only to each other but also to the people of Himachal Pradesh for the inconvenience caused due to the strike.
“The incident happened in a moment of anger. We have now resolved it with mutual understanding,” they said, urging society to move forward.
Adding to the emotional moment, Dr Narula’s mother said both the doctor and the patient were like her own children.
“For me, Raghav and Arjun are equal. They have apologised to each other and that is what matters,” she said.
Arjun Panwar echoed the sentiment, saying once the doctor apologised, there was no reason to hold grudges.
He thanked the government and the public for their support and even lightened the moment by accepting Dr Narula’s invitation to his upcoming wedding, drawing laughter as the two hugged again.
Panwar’s father credited Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for facilitating justice and dialogue, while acknowledging the support of people from Chopal. “It feels good that the matter has finally ended peacefully,” he said.
Chief Minister’s Principal Media Adviser Naresh Chauhan termed the December 22 incident “unfortunate” and said the situation escalated unnecessarily. He said the government intervened only to ensure that patients did not continue to suffer due to the strike.
Chauhan confirmed that efforts would be made to close the police case in view of the settlement and that the process to reinstate Dr Narula, as assured by the Chief Minister, would move forward.
Background of the case
The controversy erupted on December 22, 2025, after a scuffle between Dr Raghav Narula, a Senior Resident in the Pulmonary Medicine Department, and patient Arjun Singh Panwar following a bronchoscopy procedure.
A viral video triggered protests by patient attendants, leading to Dr Narula’s suspension, an FIR, and later termination based on an inquiry report that held both sides responsible.
The termination sparked a strong backlash from the Resident Doctors Association, resulting in mass leave and an indefinite strike that disrupted OPDs and elective surgeries across the state. After days of deadlock, dialogue prevailed.
As repeatedly advocated by HimbuMail.com, the resolution underscored that compassion, conversation and accountability — not punitive haste — are essential to rebuilding trust in public healthcare.
With services restored and tempers cooled, the IGMC episode may yet become a turning point in redefining how conflicts within hospitals are handled.
#IGMCShimla #DoctorPatientTrust #HumaneHealthcare #HimachalPradesh
