In a clear case of hooliganism and criminal conspiracy, RIMS junior doctors on Monday thrashed a scribe of a national English daily and manhandled police personnel, including the Bariatu PS in-charge Vinod Kumar and SP (City) Anup Birtharey.
A named FIR has been lodged at Bariatu police station by the journalist, Deepak Mahto, against five junior doctors of the hospital for attacking him on Monday night without any reason while he had gone for news coverage at RIMS.The journalist was beaten up by the junior doctors as soon as he reached the spot to enquire into the alleged thrashing of the family members of a patient who had gone there for treatment.
Only a couple of days back, the junior doctors had manhandled a woman journalist and a photo journalist of another English daily.
According to eye-witnesses, doctors even had a scuffle with the City SP Anup Birthare and in-charge of Bariatu Police Station Vinod Kumar, who were present there along with the force. Both Birthare and Kumar remained there as a mute spectator while the journalist was being beaten up by the junior doctors due to some unknown reasons.
The journalist, who received serious injuries on his head and back, was taken somehow to Sadar Hospital for medical treatments by the police after the incident. The FIR could be lodged only on Tuesday against the junior doctors.
The doctors, after being cornered from all sides, have gone on strike putting emergency services at a standstill of State’s one of the premier health institutions. Hundreds of patients coming from remote areas of the state are waiting for the doctors to end up their strike. OPD was not opened on Tuesday, forcing hundreds of the poor patients to go for private treatment.
Sensing the seriousness of the matter, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has asked for a detailed report on the issue from Ranchi SSP Prabhat Kumar.
According to a shopkeeper near the RIMS, they have a track record of hooliganism since long who beat up any of them even on trivial issues. “The junior doctors have gone uncontrolled of this institution and have become a terror for the people who are doing business around the RIMS premises,” said a shopkeeper requesting anonymity.
He also referred to a clash between the locals and the junior doctors which took place a few years ago which turned ugly injuring several people from both sides which could only be stopped after the police intervened. The police even had to apply force in order to maintain law and order in the RIMS campus.
“It has become a common practice by the junior doctors who, being large in numbers generally turn violent beats up anybody who oppose them while getting treatment in the hospital,” said a person selling tea near RIMS campus.Meanwhile, a press conference has been called by the RIMS director on Wednesday for making his point. A group of journalists however, met Chief Minister Hemant Soren late in the evening requesting him to take proper steps to ensure security to the journalists in the city.