COVID-19: Punjab Policeman Get's His Severed Hand Back After 7 Hours Long Surgery

After a very long and complex surgery, doctors at the Chandigarh's Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research successfully reattached an Assistant Sub Inspector's hand that was chopped off in an attack by a group of Nihangs in Punjab's Patiala on April 12.

In the brutal incident, two other officers were also injured after a group of people attacked them at a vegetable market in Patiala on April 12.

The police claimed that they were attacked when they tried to maintain the lockdown.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh took to Twitter to inform that ASI Harjeet Singh's seven-and-a-half hour surgery at the PGIMER in Chandigarh was completed successfully.

"I am happy to share that a 7 1/2 hour long surgery has been successfully completed in PGI to repair the severed wrist of ASI Harjeet Singh. I thank the entire team of doctors and support staff for their painstaking effort. Wishing ASI Harjeet Singh a speedy recovery" read the tweet.

According to an India Today report, the doctors at PGIMER successfully grafted Harjeet Singh's chopped hand after 7.5 hours long plastic surgery, which they said was "technically very complex and challenging".

According to a PGI bulletin, Dr Jagat Ram, Director PGI, Chandigarh had received a call from Dinkar Gupta, DG Police, Punjab around 7.45 am on Sunday.

The director then activated the emergency team at Advanced Trauma centre, PGI and gave the responsibility to Prof Ramesh Sharma, Head Department of Plastic Surgery to organise admission and hand reimplantation of the 50-year-old police personnel.

The PGI administration stated that Singh had an amputation through the proximal wrist of his left hand. The doctors who performed the surgery added that cop's hand is viable, warm with good circulation.

"The reimplantation was started around 10 am after the initial preparation of the amputated part. Both radial and ulnar artery, the venae commitantes and an extra dorsal vein were anastomosed. All the flexors and extensor tendons were repaired" Dr Jagat Ram was quoted as saying. He further added that the nerves at the wrist were repaired and bony fixation was also done using three K-wires.

"The approximate time taken was about 7.5 hours. This was a technically very complex and challenging surgery, which has been successfully done," Dr Jagat Ram explained.

"Plastic surgery team consisted of consultants Dr Sunil Gaba and Dr Jerry R John. Senior residents Dr Suraj Nair, Dr Mayank, Dr Chandra and Dr Shubendu, anaesthesia team consultant Dr Ankur Senior Resident, Dr Abhishek and Dr Purnima, nursing team S/N Arvind, S/N Sneha and S/N Arsh," a PGI spokesperson was quoted as saying.

According to the police, 11 people, including five attackers, were arrested a couple of hours later after an exchange of fire at Nihang Dera complex, about 25 km from Patiala city, after the group fled from the scene of the crime.

The incident occurred at around 6.15 am.

ASI Harjeet Singh was then taken away from the scene on a two-wheeler. He was first rushed to a nearby local hospital and then referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh.

Due to the nationwide lockdown implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19, barricades were put up outside the wholesale market and entry restricted to those with curfew passes.

The Nihangs who are members of a Sikh sect, carry traditional arms and wear blue robes had arrived in an SUV and were told to stop by 'mandi' officials.

"They were asked to show passes. But they rammed the vehicle against the gate and the barricades," Patiala's Senior Superintendent of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu, was quoted as saying.

The group had then attacked the police personnel and fled to the Gurdwara managed by them.

Punjab's Special Chief Secretary KBS Sidhu stated that the police acted respectfully when they entered the gurdwara.

"The police party observed full Maryada while entering the Gurdwara premises. There were also women and children inside, who were unharmed, and have been left secure within the Gurdwara as before," he tweeted.

Also Read: Punjab: Group Defying Lockdown Chops Policeman's Hand, Injures 2