Mob justice is wrong – But so is denying care

The untimely death of a young mother at RIMS following post-delivery complications has cast a pall of grief across the state. The tragedy, however, was compounded by the scenes of chaos that unfolded when enraged relatives vandalized hospital property and physically assaulted a senior doctor. Such acts of mob justice are indefensible and deserve the strongest condemnation. A civilized society cannot excuse violence, no matter the provocation.
Yet, the collective response that followed raises profound questions. In protest against the assault, doctors at RIMS, joined by private hospitals across the state, resolved to close essential services for an entire day. This unprecedented move brought OPDs, emergency services, routine operations, and post-mortem examinations to a grinding halt, leaving countless patients stranded. The decision, however well-intentioned as an act of solidarity, risks punishing the innocent many for the transgressions of a few.
In moments of grief, anger often clouds judgment, and the bereaved family acted out of raw emotion. Their actions, though unlawful, cannot be condoned. However, the doctors’ fraternity, instead of resorting to the drastic measure of shutting down essential services, could have taken recourse to lawful means—by filing an FIR, pressing for police action against those who vandalized the hospital and assaulted their colleague, and demanding that justice be served through proper legal channels. The answer to mob justice cannot be another form of collective reprisal, this time against patients who have no connection to the incident. Hospitals, by their very nature, are sanctuaries that must remain above such retaliatory measures.
This episode also casts a long shadow on the administration of RIMS. Beyond issuing a hurried press note, the institution has so far offered little by way of clarity or reassurance. While it may be premature to pronounce on possible medical lapses or security failures barely a day after the incident, these remain questions of grave concern that the administration cannot sidestep. A credible and time-bound inquiry is essential, not merely a perfunctory committee whose findings never see the light of day, as has too often been the case in the past.
The larger point remains clear: shutting down medical services, even for a day, erodes public faith in the very system meant to protect life. Doctors and administrators alike must remember that patients—especially the poor and vulnerable—have nowhere else to turn. Justice for an assaulted doctor must not translate into collective suffering for thousands of others.
The medical fraternity deserves protection, respect, and legal recourse when wronged. But it also carries a sacred obligation—echoed in the very spirit of the Hippocratic Oath—to ensure that its doors remain open in times of crisis. The decision to shut down medical services across RIMS and private hospitals, even for a day, should serve as a reminder that institutional responsibility cannot be compromised. What Manipur needs now is not a hospital on strike, but a hospital that restores trust—through accountability, vigilance, and above all, uninterrupted service to the people.