23-yr-old posed as doctor, started examining patients in Assam hospital; arrested | Latest News India

SILCHAR: A 23-year-old man who walked into the outpatients department in a white coat and started treating patients was arrested on Tuesday for impersonation at the government-run Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), police said.

Cachar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Numal Mahatta said the accused had been identified as Mir Hussain Ahmed Barbhuiya, a resident of Katigorah. “The individual had no medical qualifications but was impersonating a gynaecologist at SMCH. He has been apprehended, and lawful action has been initiated,” Mahatta said.

He said Barbhuiya was caught in the hospital’s gynaecology OPD where he had allegedly been examining patients since August 29.

Dr Bhaskar Gupta, SMCH principal, said the staff noticed the suspect visiting the ward after 2pm every day, dressed as a doctor. “We noticed him and informed the police. After his arrest today, we lodged a First Information Report (FIR),” he said, adding that Barbhuiya was never enrolled as a doctor at the hospital.

This is the second instance of an unqualified person impersonating to be a doctor.

On August 3, the Cachar police arrested 43-year-old Pulak Malakar from Silchar’s Shiv Sundari Nari Sikshashram for allegedly practising as a gynaecologist on the strength of a a forged MBBS degree obtained from Odisha.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was in Silchar on Sunday, said there was a possibility of a well-organised racket in Barak Valley supplying fake medical certificates for hefty sums of money.