The doctors in Kendrapara district have launched a 'non-cooperation' strike against the police protesting inaction against miscreants who allegedly issued threats in the medical campus a fortnight ago.
As part of the non-cooperation strike, the doctors are not issuing injury reports of the accused to the police. As a result, police are finding it hard to produce the accused in the district to court.
Though the doctors have not stopped treating patients, they are wearing black badges as a mark of protest.
As per reports, some miscreants have been allegedly issuing threats to the doctors and medical staff and abusing them at the Rajnagar Community Health Centre (CHC) under Kendrapara district.
The doctors had lodged a complaint with the police in this regard and staged a sit-in demanding action against the miscreants. But the health workers withdrew from the dharna after the local MLA discussed and assured action against the accused immediately.
Though 16 days have passed since the incident, police are yet to take action. As a result, the miscreants have begun threatening the doctors again.
The Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) has decided not to cooperate with the police in Kendrapara district and warned of a state-wide agitation if the police do not take any action soon.
“Our primary demand is to arrest those six miscreants including Muna Pal and Debasis Rout who had come to the hospital and threatened the doctors,” said Rashmiranjan Mohanty, Rajnagar Medical Officer.
“The doctors are denying to treat the accused brought by police due to which the work at the court has come to a standstill,” said a lawyer Debadatta Sethi.
Asked about the allegations and protest, Pattamundai SDPO Khyamasagar Panda said, “One accused has already been arrested and forwarded to court. Another accused was released on bail. I have assured the doctors that we will round up other accused too. It takes some time. But they will be arrested too.”
Meanwhile, the medical examination of nine fishermen arrested by the Rajnagar forest department could not be held due to the ongoing dispute between the doctors and police. The nine accused were arrested for allegedly carrying out fishing activities in restricted areas of Gahirmatha on Thursday.