CM Mohan Yadav sees water cannon video, Madhya Pradesh police order inquiry into action on intern doctors

Videos of a number of young men and women in white lab coats being drenched as a water cannon fires at them went viral on Monday. The matter pertained to Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal where the intern doctors were staging a protest to demand a hike in their stipend – from around Rs 14,000 to Rs 30,000.

Some of the protesters were also reportedly injured during the police action. With the matter now reaching the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, the state's police has ordered an inquiry into the use of the water cannon by its personnel.

An order issued by Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone-2, Vikas Sahwal as the inquiry officer. He said the matter had come to the notice of CM Mohan Yadav and the police commissioner, following which the inquiry was ordered.

“It will be a completely impartial investigation. All aspects and all parties connected with the matter will be included within its scope,” he said. The police order followed the protest by intern doctors in Bhopal, during which personnel used a water cannon near the Hamidia Hospital gate.

The order noted that some doctors were injured in the action. The inquiry will examine the circumstances leading to the use of the water cannon and whether the police action was appropriate. Currently, interns receive about Rs 14,337 a month.

Arguing that the existing amount was inadequate given the workload involved in internship and the rising cost of accommodation, food, transport and other expenses, they demanded that the stipend be raised to Rs 30,000. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also backed the demand, calling the existing stipend inadequate and seeking a mechanism for its periodic revision.

The ongoing intern doctors' agitation intensified on Monday when protesters at Hamidia Hospital decided to march towards CM Yadav's residence. The doctors said they wanted to meet the CM and press for a written decision on the stipend hike after earlier representations and assurances had failed to produce an order.

Police deployed barricades around the hospital to prevent the march from proceeding towards the CM's residence. The confrontation that is now the subject of the police inquiry began when some protesters attempted to move past the barricades.

Police said the protesters initially agreed to move towards the eastern gate but subsequently pushed towards the emergency gate, prompting the use of a water cannon. The protesters, however, maintained that they were seeking to hold a peaceful demonstration and alleged that excessive force was used against them.

At least one intern had to reportedly be taken to the hospital after being hit by the water cannon. Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh.

With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India.

In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.

Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.

Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).

Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.

Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.

Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.

Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.

Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More