21 detained for beating doctor to death ; IMA announces 24-hour strike
As a protest against killing of a doctor, Indian Medical Association (IMA) Assam state branch has called for withdrawal of medical services on September 3.
02 September, TEOK/JORHAT : (Agencies) :: A day after a 73-year-old doctor died in Teok Tea Estate Assam’s Jorhat district on being beaten by tea garden workers after one of their co-workers died at the hospital, at least 21 persons were detained on Sunday, police said
Nilesh Gond, the secretary of the Jorhat district branch of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), the largest trade union organisation of tea gardens of Assam, told. Gond said that 21 detained belong to the tea tribe community.
On Sunday evening, in a joint press statement, the state unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) called for 24 hours withdrawal of medical services, excluding emergency services by doctors from 6am of September 3 to 6am next day, as a mark of protest.
On Tuesday at 7 pm, there will be a candlelight procession by doctors to mourn the death of Dutta. The IMA state unit, in a statement, said that the attack on Dr Dutta had crossed “all tolerable limits”. Also, the Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) has written to Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia over the incident, urging immediate arrest of all culprits. Scores of doctors staged protests at the JMCH last evening.
The Teok tea estate is owned by the Kolkata-based Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited. The company said in a ‘lock-out’ notice that there was “total insecurity and chaos” in the garden and all its executives feared the safety of their lives. The lock-out will continue until the atmosphere is conducive to running the garden.
The company further said, “The murderous crowd did not allow any medical attention to be given to the grievously injured Senior Medical Officer and they also prevented the ambulance from reaching him for about an hour. The injured was ultimately rescued by the Magistrate and police at around 5.30 pm and immediately administered first aid. They were then shifted to JMCH for treatment."
