Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state government to publicise a circular issued by the State Police Chief (SPC) last month instructing all district police chiefs and station house officers to register the FIR within an hour of receiving the information about attack on doctors and other healthcare professionals.
The circular was issued following the court's order to this effect.
A division bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath said the government should publish the circular through media.
"This will ensure that citizens understand that any attack, howsoever small it may be, is unacceptable and will be attract the severest of consequences under law," the court said.
"The number of such incidents will come down only if patients and their by-standers understand that an attack on healthcare professional will be treated severely," the court added.
The bench appreciated the steps taken by the police chief to send the circular to all station soon after the order was issued.
(With Live Law inputs)
