"Medical Practitioner Munna Bhai, Reported to Have Executed More Than 50 C-Sections, Held During Surgery"
In a significant step towards improving the quality of healthcare services in Assam, the anti-quackery and vigilance cell, established by Chief Minister Himanta Sarma's government, has been actively working since January 2025 to root out fake doctors and quacks. This crackdown, focused on rural and urban areas, has resulted in several arrests, including that of Pulok Malakar, a resident of Assam's Sribhumi.
Malakar, posing as a gynaecologist, was arrested during an operation in an operation theatre at a private hospital in Silchar. The police investigation revealed that all of Malakar's certificates were fake, making him a fake medical practitioner. He was produced before a local court on Monday and remanded in five-day police custody.
The anti-quackery and vigilance cell, in close coordination with the state police, is working tirelessly to identify and prosecute individuals like Malakar who pose a threat to public health and safety. The unit's efforts are aimed at reducing the number of fake doctors and quacks operating in the state, thereby ensuring the safety and health of Assam's citizens.
The arrest of Malakar, who is said to have performed approximately 50 cesarean sections and gynaecological surgeries over a decade, bears a resemblance to a character and plot from the Bollywood film 'Munna Bhai MBBS' starring Sanjay Dutt. However, unlike the film, the consequences of Malakar's actions could have been fatal.
The crackdown against fake doctors is a response to growing concerns about the quality of healthcare services in Assam. The government's formation of this special unit shows a political commitment to addressing this public health threat. While specific data quantifying the impact on lower and middle-income groups is not yet available, the swift action against quacks and the serious legal measures suggest that the anti-quackery cell is an effective mechanism for reducing fraudulent medical practice risks in both rural and urban Assam.
The ongoing investigations point to efforts to uncover wider networks of fake practitioners, which could further protect vulnerable communities from harm. The anti-quackery and vigilance cell, led by an anti-quackery officer, works closely with the Assam police to ensure that only qualified medical professionals practice in the state, thereby improving the overall quality of healthcare services for all Assam's citizens.
[1] Source: The Assam Tribune, "Assam's War on Quacks: Four Arrested in Three Days", dated 15th February 2025. [2] Source: The Hindu, "Assam Government Forms Anti-Quackery Cell", dated 1st January 2025. [3] Source: The Indian Express, "Assam's Anti-Quackery Cell Arrests Fake Doctor", dated 10th March 2025. [4] Source: The Times of India, "Assam's Crackdown on Quacks: Protecting Vulnerable Communities", dated 15th March 2025.
- The ongoing efforts of the anti-quackery and vigilance cell, in collaboration with the Assam police, aim to root out individuals like Pulok Malakar who, posing as medical professionals, can potentially endanger public health and safety, particularly in health-and-wellness areas such as gynaecological conditions, given the nature of his fake practice.
- By targeting medical-condition specialists like fake gynaecologists, as demonstrated in the Malakar case, the anti-quackery and vigilance cell's actions underscore the government's commitment to ensuring the provision of reliable and authentic healthcare services in the realm of science, so as to improve the overall quality of health-and-wellness services for all citizens of Assam.
