A junior doctor and his friends beat up one of his peers at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Sunday.

Sources said a final-year postgraduate student of the gynaecology department beat up Alok Kumar, a second-year postgraduate student of the anaesthesia department, around 8.30am.

"A group of PMCH alumni led by a final-year postgraduate student of gynaecology beat up my brother Alok when he refused to perform anaesthesia on a patient on Saturday night," said Sanjay Kumar. "Alok told them he had been asked by the doctor on duty to perform the procedure only with his and the surgeon's consent. The gynaecology department student called up some PMCH alumni who beat him up on Sunday morning. Neither the hospital nor the college has taken any action."

The gynaecology department student - whose name The Telegraph is not disclosing because no FIR has been lodged against him - denied the allegations.

"It is not that only Alok suffered injuries. Other students too have been hurt. Alok beat me up as well. We are trying to reach a compromise," the gynaecology student said.

PMCH deputy superintendent Deepak Tandon said: "There was bleeding from Alok's left eye. The cornea has been partially ruptured. We are unable to say whether he would have any problem with his vision or not. There are injuries on his head, left leg, stomach and head. We have provided necessary treatment to the junior doctor. It is up to the college administration on whether they would take any stand in this matter or not because the case is related to postgraduate students. The college has to take action and not the hospital."

Patna Medical College principal S.N. Sinha said over the phone from Delhi that he was not aware of the incident. "Let me come back and check first," he said.

Ashok Kumar, president of the junior doctors' association of the PMCH, said his organisation was trying to reach a compromise between the feuding parties.

The state chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanded action against the erring junior doctor.

"The incident occurred on the PMCH campus. Both the college and hospital administrations have to take action against the erring junior doctor so that it deters others from indulging in such acts," said Sunil Kumar Singh, vice-president of the IMA's Bihar chapter. "The college administration should also organise de-stressing sessions for the students as they are often stressed out because of their rigorous schedule."

On Friday, a junior doctor male assaulted a male nurse at the PMCH. Both parties lodged FIRs against each other at the PMCH police outpost.