Leaked screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation containing anti-Muslim content has led a team of police officers in Rajasthan's Churu to investigate the issue surrounding the staff of a private hospital in the district, who have been identified as the members of the alleged group chat.

"From tomorrow, I will not take X-rays of Muslim patients. This is my vow *," said one of the messages in WhatsApp group called Bardia Rise. "Stop attending to Muslim patients all together," another message read. Dr Sunil Choudhary, who runs the Srichand Baradiya Rog Nidan Kendra, a private orthopaedic hospital in Sardarshahar, has apologised on Facebook, claiming that his staff did not intend to hurt people belonging to any particular religion. The doctor's wife, who is also a doctor, was also allegedly part of the group. However, she has denied the allegation. "Had Hindus been positive and the doctor was Muslim, he would never have attended to Hindus. I will not attend to Muslims in the Outpatient Department. Tell them Madam is not in," another message in the group read.

Police have begun an inquiry after a complaint regarding the matter was registered, but an FIR is yet to be filed. "Two days ago, police control room received a complaint about screenshots being shared on social media of an alleged WhatsApp group chat between private hospital staff in Sardarshahar which are discriminatory in nature against a particular religion. The timing of the chat seems to be during the Covid lockdown. The complaint says the messages are communal in nature and discriminatory. We are conducting an inquiry, and so far no FIR has been registered. The statement of a leader of the local Muslim community has also been recorded," an investigating official reportedly stated.

When a news agency contacted Dr. Sunil Choudhary, he apparently mentioned that the screenshots were two months old. According to the concerned news agency's report, the doctor said, "I have apologised on social media. The chat is from mid-April when Covid cases related to the Tablighi Jamaat were coming. There were several cases in our area. As you can see, someone has written this and there is no doubt about it, but if you see the number of Muslim patients we attend to on a regular basis, you will see that the ground reality has no relation with what has been said in the chat. Even during that time of widespread fear, I was providing 24-hour healthcare facilities to everyone. We have never discriminated against anyone on the basis of their religion or caste. I have also spoken with the community members who made the complaint. The issue shouldn't be politicised and doctors should not be punished without any reason."

The doctor also posted a note of apology on Facebook, saying that the staff members did not intend to hurt any religious community. "Despite that, people felt bad, and for this, I and my entire hospital staff apologise. We assure you that in the future our hospital will not give you any reason to complain," his Facebook post read.