Patient defends son who stabbed Chennai doctor 7 times: He loves me too much

A day after a doctor at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai was stabbed seven times by the son of a former patient, the accused’s mother spoke in defence of her son. The woman, who is a cancer patient, claimed that her son Vignesh had attacked the doctor because she was not given proper medical treatment. She alleged that the doctor’s neglect provoked the attack.
Dr Balaji, who was severely wounded in the attack, is currently undergoing treatment. The incident sparked a political uproar in the state, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ordering a thorough probe.
The accused allegedly attacked Dr. Balaji out of frustration over what he perceived as improper treatment of his mother, who was previously under the doctor’s care.
“Dr. Balaji didn’t even look at me during the consultation,” she alleged, adding, “My son has too much love for me. He is also a heart patient and suffers from epilepsy. He acted because he thought I wasn’t being treated properly.”
Vignesh’s mother further claimed she had been misinformed about her own diagnosis, insisting she was told she had Stage 2 cancer rather than the Stage 5 cancer diagnosis reportedly circulating in the hospital.
Financial constraints, she said, prevented her from completing a full treatment course at the Adyar Cancer Institute. “Dr. Balaji said I didn’t need another chemotherapy session and simply walked away. Was I his enemy?” she questioned, expressing lingering resentment towards the doctor.
The incident took place on Wednesday. A video had surfaced, showing Vignesh casually walking in the hospital after the attack before he was caught. The video also showed him covertly fishing out a knife after the crime, wiping it and then hiding it to his right before throwing it away.
Vignesh was caught and later arrested. He was sent to judicial custody for 15 days on Wednesday evening.
Following the incident, Dr. Ezhilan, MLA of Thousand Lights constituency and a physician himself, held a meeting with representatives from the doctors’ association and Chief Minister MK Stalin, emphasising the urgent need to protect healthcare professionals.
He highlighted the complex nature of medical treatments, particularly in emergency cases. Citing incidents where anti-venom treatments can cause allergic reactions, Dr. Ezhilan urged the public not to sensationalise such situations, as it could push doctors to adopt a “defensive practice”.
“I urge the people of Tamil Nadu to approach medical incidents with practical understanding, as this will benefit both patients and healthcare providers. Sensationalising these cases could make doctors hesitant to make life-saving decisions in high-risk cases,” he said.