New Delhi: June 3, 2008 - A scuffle broke out between doctors and relatives of a patient at the AIIMS trauma centre here after the latter accused the hospital staff of showing apathy in treatment.

Doctors at the Jay Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre called a strike on Monday morning after relatives of a patient allegedly manhandled some of their colleagues.

At around 1:30 am, Yaad Mohan, 26, a resident of Madangiri was brought in a drunken state with minor injuries to the trauma centre. His relatives allegedly attacked the doctors when he was left unattended.

However, the doctors' strike was called off after they were assured of fresh recruitments and additional security arrangements.

"We are short of doctors and as he needed one or two stitches, he could wait as there were more serious patients being attended by our limited staff," Dr Kumar Harsh, RDA president AIIMS, said.

"We demanded additional security and the most important thing that is recruitment of more doctors to the trauma centre be conducted as early as possible," Dr Harsh said.

Fresh appointments of nearly 300 doctors would be made and by the June seven fresh recruitments on ad-hoc basis will begin, he said.