2 min readLudhianaUpdated: Mar 21, 2026 04:04 PM IST
The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), Punjab, has expressed concern over the Amritsar police lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against four senior doctors of a private hospital over alleged medical negligence in the death of bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman.
Dr Divyanshu Gupta, Honorary Secretary, PHANA, said the association was disturbed by the registration of the case, stating that such actions, without a proper understanding of medical complexities, are “ethically inappropriate and demoralising for the medical fraternity”. He asserted that no doctor intends harm to a patient and that “every medical procedure, from major surgeries to routine interventions, carries inherent risks, including rare but severe reactions such as anaphylactic shock”.
Ghuman died on October 9, 2025, during treatment for a shoulder surgery at a private hospital, reportedly following a cardiac arrest. His family alleged lapses in treatment. The FIR was registered after a seven-member medical board, constituted under the civil surgeon, submitted its report to Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Police Commissioner, Amritsar, on February 28.
The police had formed a special investigation team and a panel of doctors to examine the case. The board’s findings pointed to procedural lapses and inadequate handling of complications, leading to the registration of the case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Doctors from the orthopaedics, anaesthesia and cardiology departments have been named in the FIR.
Police sources said further investigation is underway, with medical records and statements being scrutinised to fix responsibility.
Meanwhile, PHANA maintained that the human body is complex and outcomes are not always within human control despite adherence to standard protocols. The association said such incidents create a climate of fear among doctors, discouraging young professionals from entering the field. It acknowledged the grief of the victim’s family but emphasised that not every death amounts to medical negligence.
Calling for reforms, PHANA urged the government “to revisit and revise existing guidelines on medical negligence to ensure a fair balance between patient rights and the working conditions of doctors”.
