Inquiry team visits VIMSAR to probe allegations against Director Pujahari

Sambalpur: Amid the ongoing agitation by junior doctors of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), a four-member team of the State Health department today visited the hospital to probe the allegations leveled against the institute's director Aswini Pujahari.

As per reports, the inquiry team has been sent as per a directive issued by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal. The team will hold discussions with all the parties and submit a report to the health department thereafter.

It may be mentioned here that Pujahari had written to the Governor requesting him to order a probe into the allegations leveled against him.

On the other hand, the junior doctors' association (JDA) here has been staging an agitation demanding removal of the VIMSAR director. They had also submitted a memorandum with a 10-point charter of demands to the Governor and Health Minister.

"Discussion was held with the inquiry team for two hours on the memorandum and we have submitted the documentary evidence," said Dr Himanshu Mishra, vice president of the JDA.

Meanwhile, locals have come out in full support of the VIMSAR director. "Development of the hospital is because of Pujahari and the hospital has actually benefitted the people of the western Odisha," said one of his supporters.

Echoing similar views, another supporter said that an impartial probe should be carried out in the incident and there should not be any drama.

It is pertinent to mention that JDA and Pujahari are at loggerheads after the latter took a professor to task inside a classroom, a video of which had gone viral. Pujahari lambasted the professor for reaching late to classroom and taking classes of all PG students simultaneously in one class.

This apart, Pujahari's move to shave the head of an alcoholic patient at the outpatient department has also elicited sharp criticism.