A dentist in Itahari on Wednesday (January 11) had to receive a nasty dose of hard luck, as relatives of a minor girl subjected him to a tooth for a tooth, by thrashing him mercilessly.

Father of Garima Bhandari (7), Shyam Bhandari, and his relatives ruthlessly beat up Dr Krishna Nepal of Suswyastha Dental Hospital, accusing him of slapping the minor girl while she was under his observation.

Garima was admitted to the hospital after she broke one of her teeth while playing.

The father accused the dentist and other health workers of ‘meting out physical torture’ to her daughter. “Dr Nepal slapped my daughter on her cheek,” said Bhandari.

Hospital staff complained that Bhandari’s relatives reached the hospital and ‘mercilessly’ beat up Dr Nepal. “It was a bolt from the blue, they came and started attacking me,” said Dr Nepal. Journalists had been called in following the incident. When mediapersons approached Dr Nepal for his comments, a youth employed by Bhandari at his shop, slapped him again.

The doctor said he had already apologised to Garima’s parents for his ‘mistake’ and expressed commitment not to repeat it.

However, the incident has left an eerie sense of terror in the hospital. One of the youth had even threatened to chop the doctor into pieces.

The doctor, who has received bruises under his left eye, said it was height of injustice that he was beaten up badly even after apologising and has filed a case at Area Police Office, Itahari, against Shyam Bhandari and others involved in the attack.

Different organisations working in the health sector have condemned the incident and demanded action against the perpetrators.

Inspector Sagar Thapa of Area Police Office said investigation was under way.

Source: The Himalayan Times