(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Doctors and staff at the hospital where a senior urologist was murdered by a patient last week are frightened about the implications of the murder of one of their own.
In his first public statement, Al Ahalia Hospital medical director Dr Anil Kumar has identified the murder suspect as Pakistani national Mohammed Jamil Addul Rashid, a patient of 62-year-old Dr Rajan Daniel, who had treated the man for up to three months before the patient allegedly murdered him last Thursday, during an appointment.
"The patient had never shown any sort of abnormal or suspicious behaviour earlier," he said.
Dr Kumar said Rashid had tried to escape through a stairway and entered into emergency area of the hospital, where he was stopped by staff and later handed over to the police. The motive for the murder was still unclear, he said, hastening to contradict reports which suggested there was some problem stemming from Dr Daniel's treatment of either Rashid or Rashid's family members.
The heinous incident had frightened not only staff at the hospital, but the entire medical community, he said. "We expect the authorit(ies) to investigate the case thoroughly to bring out the real motive behind this gruesome murder, which will help the medical community to take pre-emptive measures for future," said Dr Kumar. Though his murder has hit headlines in the UAE and India, Dr Daniel's patients are still approaching the hospital seeking his appointment, according to another hospital spokesman.
Patients, who walked in, were stunned to hear the news about the doctor's murder, C. Induchoodan said. "Not all people are aware of it through the media. It is a very difficult situation for our staff to explain to the patients about his death." Dr Daniel's long-time colleague and friend Dr P.K. Gopinath Menon said hundreds of patients would be shocked to learn the tragic end of the man who saved their lives.
"It was an unceremonious exit of a noble person," he said. Though his wife Geetha George lives in the same building of the hospital, she is still clueless about the actual reason for her husband's death, believing he died from a heart attack.
"She just knows that he is no more. I don't know how she is going to break down again when she gets to know the reality that he was literally slaughtered," said Dr Menon, who worked and lived in the same hospital and building. Dr Daniel's only daughter and son-in-law, who live in India, were scheduled to reach Abu Dhabi by last night.
Pak envoy condemns murder
Meanwhile, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE Jamil Ahmed Khan has condemned the gruesome murder of Dr Daniel on Thursday and said the accused was suffering from prostate problems.
Ahmed Khan said criminals were not tagged by their nationalities, while meeting a group of Pakistani doctors at the embassy.
He said the murder of Dr Daniel was inhumane and barbaric and could only be done by a crazy person who "(did) not have (a) human heart". The delegation of Pakistani doctors joined with the ambassador in condemning the murder and extended their condolences to the bereaved family, offering all possible support.
