LAHORE, Oct 6: Situation turned ugly at the Lahore General Hospital emergency department on Saturday when some people resorted to violence while protesting the death of a young woman and held doctors responsible for it.

The protesters told the media that Naureen Bibi (25) of Kacha Jail Road was “stable” when they shifted her to the hospital’s emergency department after she fell unconscious at her house.

The hospital administration, on the other hand, claimed the agitators turned violent despite an assurance that the matter would be probed into. The enraged protesters smashed the hospital’s windowpanes, furniture and some equipment in the emergency unit, besides occupying the facility for an hour which delayed treatment of some serious patients, the administration alleged.

However, the deceased woman’s protesting relatives claimed they turned unruly when the on-duty doctors misbehaved with them and also subjected some of their family members to torture for agitating.

Witnesses said the situation remained tense at the emergency department for an hour, causing disruption in treatment of patients.

Later, senior police officials reached the hospital and the protesters dispersed.

Meanwhile, in a statement an LGH spokesman said Naureen was brought to the emergency ward on Saturday afternoon in unconscious state and she died in spite of provision of treatment promptly.

He said PGMI Principal Prof Anjum Habib Vohra reached the spot and contacted Model Town SP, asking him to control the situation. The police got the emergency vacated after 45 minutes.

According to the spokesman, Prof Vohra had constituted a four-member committee to hold an inquiry into the incident comprising Prof Dr Ghiasun Nabi Tayyab, Prof Dr Syed Ali Haider, Dr Tanveer Anwar and Additional MS Dr Zia Ullah Cheema.

The principal told the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of the hospital that action was recommended against the personnel manning the police post inside the hospital for not taking action against violent protesters. He said the number of policemen in the hospital would also be increased.

The spokesman said Model Town Division SP Malik Awais had assured the hospital’s administration that legal action would be taken against the culprits and complete security would be provided to the doctors and other staff.

In a late-night development the police registered a case against six people for damaging state property.