Surat

Bhavna Mehta

Chetan Mehta

coronavirus

Surat couple apologises to doctor after harassment complaint reaches the police 00:26

WATCH: This doctor is being harassed for working with COVID-19 positive patients 01:37

Chetan and Bhavna issue apology

A day after a couple inwere arrested and released on bail for harassing a city-based doctor for working with coronavirus-infected persons; they issued an apology on Tuesday. In a video recorded by Dr Panigrahi's neighbour,, she says, “We were taken to the police station as per the procedure. We respect doctors and our fight was because of our fear due to corona . Our misunderstanding has been cleared and we have no issues.“Her husband, who was seen in the viral video, abusing and threatening the doctor wrote a written apology. In it,wrote, “I confess that due to the fear of coronavirus, I and my wife misbehaved with Dr Panigrahi and we are extremely sorry about it. We respect all the doctors and medical professionals working to fight thepandemic. We are not only apologetic to Dr Panigrahi and her family but also to the State and the Central government for portraying a negative picture. We are profusely sorry and as good citizens will henceforth never indulge in any kind of behaviour that hurts the front line warriors fighting coronavirus.”The 34-year-old doctor, also their neighbour, works at a government-run civil hospital. The couple -- Chetan and Bhavna Mehta -- had harassed her for stepping out to perform her duties amid the coronavirus outbreak.On Monday, a video also went viral on social media platforms in which the doctor was seen being subjected to verbal abuse by them.She was first ridiculed as a carrier of the coronavirus by the couple and when she did not pay any heed to their comments, she was stopped from entering her own house.Since the victim was not ready to file an FIR against the couple, the police had taken her application and arrested Chetan and Bhavna under section 151 of CrPC.Surat police commissioner R B Brahmbhatt has said that strict action will be taken if healthcare workers are harassed for serving coronavirus patients.Meanwhile, several incidents of doctors and nurses being attacked and pestered have come to light from across the country.