Violence against doctors: New Bill proposes 10-year jail, Rs 10 lakh fine; mandates FIR within 1 hour

Over 75% of doctors in India have reported experiencing some form of violence. Amid the growing violence against healthcare workers, a private member’s Bill was recently introduced in Rajya Sabha seeking to establish a national law to protect doctors and medical establishments from attack.

The Central Protection of Healthcare Workers and Medical Establishments from Violence Act, 2025 Bill outlines strict and non-bailable offenses, mandatory FIR, and penalties up to 10 years in jail for grievous assaults.

Violence broadly includes physical attacks, intimidation, harassment, obstruction of duty, and destruction of medical equipment or infrastructure.

According to the Bill, "no individual shall, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, engage in any act of violence against a healthcare worker, whether during the discharge of their professional duties or otherwise, or cause any damage or loss to any property, within or associated with, a medical establishment."

Any act of violence, whether wholly or in part, based on caste, gender, religion, language, or place of birth is prohibited.

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Penalties, punishments

The Bill proposes imprisonment of six months to five years and fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh for violence against health workers. Anyone found to have caused grievous hurt, as defined under section 116 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, to any healthcare worker, will be sent to jail for not less than three years, which may extend to ten years and a fine not less than Rs 2 lakh and may extend to Rs 10 lakh.

If someone inflicts hurt on a healthcare worker, the accused will have to pay a sum of Rs 1 lakh, and in case of grievous hurt, Rs 5 lakh.

If a doctor is attacked on duty, the head of the establishment will be responsible for reporting an institutional First Information Report (FIR), within the first six hours of the incident. Upon receiving the complaint, the police should file an FIR within one hour, the bill states.

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Guidelines to prevent violence against doctors

The proposed Bill prohibits carrying any arms, including licensed weapons and guns, within the hospital premises. This means, even if a person has a licensed weapon, they are barred from carrying it to the hospital. Those who violate this rule will face one to six months in jail and fines from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh.

All medical colleges and hospitals will be required to ensure 24/7 CCTV surveillance and improved lighting, trained security personnel, quick response teams, weapon screening at entry points, de-escalation and crisis-management training among others.

Hospitals have been directed to report such incidents to the National Medical Commission (NMC) within 48 hours. "All medical establishments shall be declared as 'Safe Zones' where any act of violence or threats shall result in swift legal action," the bill read.

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Why was the Bill introduced?

Violence against healthcare workers is a growing and systemic problem in India. According to the Indian Medical Association, healthcare workers are four times more likely to face injury or require time away from work due to violence compared to other sectors.

Shockingly, over 75% of doctors have reported experiencing some form of violence, with 68.33% of incidents reported to have been perpetrated by patients' attendants or escorts.

Violence takes several forms, including physical assaults, verbal abuse, bullying and sexual harassment, murder, and arson, the bill states.

The consequences are not limited to the healthcare workers alone but extend to the patients. In response to the increasing incidents, there have been nationwide protests led by medical professionals across the country.

Healthcare workers include doctors, AYUSH practitioners, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, paramedics, lab staff, physiotherapists, radiologists, community health workers, among others.