By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Doctors in Assam are boycotting OPD services on Wednesday in protest against the assault on a junior colleague even as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was personally monitoring the investigation.
“24 culprits involved in this barbaric attack have been arrested and the chargesheet will be filed at the earliest. I am personally monitoring this investigation and I promise that justice will be served,” Sarma tweeted.
In another tweet, he wrote: “Such barbaric attacks on our frontline workers won’t be tolerated by our administration.”
Dr Seuj Kumar Senapati was brutally beaten up by a group of people following the death of a Covid patient at the Odali Model Hospital in Hojai district of Central Assam on Tuesday. Most of the accused were family members and relatives of the deceased.
In a video of the incident that has gone viral on the social media, some people are seen attacking the young doctor with utensils, other blunt weapons and kicking him.
24 culprits involved in this barbaric attack have been arrested and the chargesheet will be filed at the earliest.I am personally monitoring this investigation and I promise that justice will be served. https://t.co/CVgRaEW0di
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 2, 2021
“The relatives told me the patient was serious but when I examined his health condition, I found him to be already dead. Soon, they started vandalising the hospital furniture and attacking me,” Dr Senapati said.
Incidentally, it was said to be his first day in service.
Earlier in the day, CM Sarma had mentioned the names of 22 people identified as the “culprits”. They were Md Kamaruddin, Md Jainal Uddin, Rehanuddin, Saidul Alam, Rahim Uddin, Rajul Islam, Tayebur Rahman, Sahil Islam, Rahimuddin, Abdul Kalam, Nurzul Islam, Abdul Gumi, Dilwar Hussain, Abdul Hussain, Anuwar, Nasirrudin, Alimuddin, Jamil Ahmad, Sarifuddin, Safiquddin, Matibur Rahman and Miss Misba Begum.
The Assam Medical Service Association, which called for boycott of the OPD services, warned that if such an incident recurred in the future, it would cease all services across the state. It demanded the beefing up of security at all hospitals.
“Assam Health Security Force should be raised immediately. As raising it will take time, we request for the immediate recruitment of temporary security personnel,” the Association said.
