A 44-year-old man was arrested late on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting two women doctors of a hospital in central Delhi after accusing them of “spreading coronavirus,”.

According to the hospital, the incident took place around 9:30 pm in Gautam Nagar area yesterday when both the doctors had stepped out from their house to buy fruits.

“A neighbour started shouting at them for spreading Covid-19 in the locality. When the doctors responded, they were physically assaulted,” said Dr Manish, president of the resident doctors’ association, Safdarjung Hospital.

The doctors sought to reason with the man, who made remarks on the need of social distancing, but he twisted their hands and pushed them back and fled, said Dr Manish, adding that the two women then approached police in this regard, according to news agency . The police later corroborated his version.

Dr Manish also said that the women doctors are posted at the Emergency Department of the hospital and had marks of bruises on their bodies. These doctors are not on Covid-19 duty, he added.

Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain said on Thursday that legal action will be taken against those who discriminate against doctors, paramedics and healthcare workers.