Three Solapur cops surrender, docs call off strike after HC order

Around 4,000 resident doctors across the state had been on an indefinite strike since Thursday after Dr Prashant Patil,a junior doctor working in VM Medical College at Solapur,was allegedly beaten up by the three policemen on December 31.

“Patil was beaten because he could not help a pregnant woman as he was assisting another injured patient who needed a CT scan. Severe punishment should be given to these policemen,” Wakchaure said.

After the doctors began their strike on Thursday,the HC had taken a suo motu cognizance. Chief Justice Mohit Shah heard the matter on Friday and directed the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take action against the three policemen,identified as police inspector Arun Waikar,sub-inspector Nitin Chowgule and constable Krishnath Surwase,and urged the doctors to withdraw the strike.

The Chief Justice also watched the CCTV grab showing the three policemen assaulting Patil. “The police authorities are not in a position to explain why they did not arrest Patil and take the CCTV footage in the morning of December 31,” he remarked and adjourned the hearing till 3 pm after directing the DCP (Crime) at Solapur to take immediate action.

When the court met again at 3 pm,the state government informed the court that the policemen had surrendered before the magistrate’s court at Solapur,which had granted them interim bail and fixed January 17 as date for the next hearing.

Chief Justice Shah,while reading the magistrate’s order,observed,“It is crystal clear that bail has been granted to the policemen in relation to the non-cognizable offences,and not in relation to offences under Section 4 of the Special Act,2010.”

Chief Justice Shah was referring to the provision of Section 4 under the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act,2010,which states that any offence committed under it shall be cognizable and non-bailable.

The court has asked the dean of the Solapur-based medical college to file an affidavit by January 7,explaining why there was delay in handing over the CCTV footage to the police. The next date of hearing in the matter is January 8.

Services in Mumbai hospitals hit

Meanwhile,as the strike moved into its second day on Friday,it continued to hamper work in all civic hospitals in Mumbai,where more than 2,000 doctors stayed away from work.

“On a normal day,around 3,000 patients visit the hospital. The figure came down to 400 during the strike,” said Dr Avinash Supe,dean in civic-run Sion hospital.

In Nair hospital,out patient department services had to clubbed with casualty ward,said Dean Dr R N Bharmal. “We were prepared for a prolonged strike and so had notified all doctors to be present for work. However,no doctor was asked to do overtime,” Bharmal said.

There are around 450 resident doctors working in the four state-run hospitals in the city. JJ hospital’s dean,Dr T P Lahane,said only routine operations were kept on hold. “The OPD was not affected as we had called in senior doctors,” he said.

The strike also hit services in peripheral hospitals in the city,where only patients requiring urgent surgery were admitted. Dr Manish Girgaon,member of MARD,conceded that the strike had disrupted medical services. “But this was necessary to ensure action against the three policemen,” he said.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com