A doctor who came to the aid of a man injured in a traffic accident in central China's Hunan province was severely beaten by three of the patient’s relatives, who were unhappy with the doctor’s care.

After receiving a blow to his skull, Wang Jun, an ear, nose and throat specialist in Shaodong County People's Hospital, collapsed to the ground. Dr. Wang was unconscious for several hours before succumbing to his injuries in the late afternoon on Wednesday, May 18.

The country's National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) has sent a special working group to investigate the incident. The group strongly condemned violence against medical staff and ensured that all possible measures were taken to attempt to save Dr. Wang’s life.

By the time he died, two of his alleged assailants had been arrested, and another later surrendered himself to the authorities, the Shandong County police said in a statement on their official Weibo.

A hospital official dismissed initial reports that Dr. Wang had been hit with a hammer, China News Service reported. Witnesses and video footage showed that one of the assailants used his fist to land a heavy blow.

An NHFPC official said it was a vicious criminal case and the criminals must be punished according to law.