The Bombay High Court on Thursday ordered resident doctors in Maharashtra to end their strike and resume work immediately. The bench also directed the state to provide ample security at government hospitals for the doctors, ANI reported. More than 4,000 resident doctors had gone on a statewide “mass leave” on Monday in protest against attacks on them by patients’ relatives.

The bench also directed all hospital management to not take any disciplinary action against the protesting doctors. The court observed that a doctor’s profession is such that they cannot afford to go on a strike, DNA reported. “Every emergency can wait, but not a medical emergency,” the court said.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors assured the high court that its members will return to work on Thursday. However, they filed an affidavit in the court asking for adequate security from the government.

Advocate General Rohit Deo informed the court that the Devendra Fadnavis-led government had decided to deploy more than 1,000 armed guards at civic and government hospitals across the state, Hindustan Times reported. At least 500 of them will be posted in Mumbai by April 5.

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Afak Mandiya complaining that health services were affected in the state because of frequent strikes by doctors. The high court said it will hear the matter again after 15 days.

On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court had warned the protesting doctors of strict action if they did not return to their jobs. Notices were served to at least 500 resident doctors from KEM Hospital and 350 each from Sion Hospital and JJ Hospital.

The protests started after two new cases were reported from Wadia Maternity Hospital in Parel, Mumbai, and Aurangabad, where doctors were assaulted by the relatives of some patients. “As many as 45 cases have been registered in the last three years under the Doctors’ Protection Act,” Dr Yash Kabra, president of the Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors told The Indian Express. “So far, not one case has reached the stage of conviction.”

The Act stipulates a prison term of three years for those found guilty. However, the protestors feel that it will not deter people from attacking doctors unless the Act is made more stringent with imprisonment of at least seven years.