Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Former IG Amar Singh Chahal out of danger, condition stable: Hospital shares update
Babushahi Bureau
Patiala (Punjab), December 24, 2025: Park Hospital, Patiala on Tuesday informed that former Punjab Police Inspector General Amar Singh Chahal is now out of danger and recovering steadily after undergoing emergency surgery for a self-inflicted gunshot injury to the chest.
According to the hospital, Chahal was brought to the emergency department with a bullet entry wound on the left side of the chest and an exit wound on the back, resulting in massive blood loss of nearly 1.5 litres. He was admitted in a critical condition and immediately shifted to the ICU for life-saving resuscitation and intubation.
A multidisciplinary medical team led by CTVS Surgeon Dr. Sidharth Garg, supported by Anaesthetist Dr. Arjun Pratap Joshi and General Surgeon Dr. Gurjot Singh, performed a complex 3–4 hour emergency surgery. The procedure involved repairing a major tear in the left lung and stabilising multiple chest wall fractures.
Dr. Sidharth Garg said that survival rates in chest gunshot injuries generally range between 30 and 40 percent, depending on the extent of damage. He noted that the family’s timely decision to bring the patient to the nearest super-specialty hospital instead of shifting him to a distant centre in Chandigarh played a crucial role in saving his life.
Hospital officials said an Intercostal Drain (ICD) was urgently inserted, followed by a diagnostic CT scan to assess internal injuries. As all routine operation theatres were occupied, a special operation theatre was prepared on an emergency basis, highlighting the hospital’s rapid trauma response capabilities.
During surgery, doctors found multiple rib fractures and extensive lung damage. The bullet had passed dangerously close to the heart and major blood vessels, making the operation extremely high-risk. Post-surgery, the patient was kept on ventilator support in the CTVS ICU for two days and was later successfully extubated.
At present, Chahal is stable, off ventilator support, and taking a soft diet. Doctors expect a complete recovery within approximately one week.
Col. Rajul Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Park Hospital, Patiala, said the 450-bed hospital, with 150 ICU beds, advanced trauma infrastructure, modular operation theatres, and dedicated CTVS and ICU facilities, is fully equipped to handle complex emergency cases round the clock.
Hospital doctors added that high-risk, life-saving surgeries are possible only in comprehensive tertiary-care centres with advanced technology and specialised teams available 24×7. Park Hospital reiterated its commitment to advanced emergency and trauma care, in line with its motto, “Every Life Matters.”