Doctors strike work after clash

NEW DELHI, June 4: Resident doctors of Safdarjung hospital have gone on strike after a clash broke out on Wednesday evening between them and...

NEW DELHI, June 4: Resident doctors of Safdarjung hospital have gone on strike after a clash broke out on Wednesday evening between them and Class IV employees. The doctors allege that the employees assaulted the joint secretary of the resident doctors association. The room of another doctor was ransacked and furniture thrown out.

The trouble arose over who should have access to the mess. The doctors say that the employees would enter the mess of the resident doctors and use their facilities as a result of which they themselves could not use the mess. Fifteen days ago when they decided not to allow employees access to their mess, the latter threatened them with dire consequences, they added.

On Wednesday evening, doctors allege that a group of karamcharis attacked Dr Inderpal, joint secretary of the resident doctors association near the hostel. They allege that the leader of the karamcharis is actually a doctor Dr Vikas Bajpai, who is a karamchari union leader.

8220;We then decided to go and ask Bajpai toaccount for his actions,8221; said Dr Atul Kalhan, a resident doctor. 8220;We went to the hostel but there were a large number of karamcharis waiting for us who then assaulted us.8221; He and another doctor were reportedly injured by the karamcharis. The police were then called to restore order and were present till late in the evening.However, Dr Suman Bhaskar, wife of Dr Bajpai has a different story to tell. 8220;The resident doctors forced their way into our room in the hostel and attacked me. They then ransacked our room and then threw all our furniture down to the ground floor.8221;

The employees allege that it was the police who assaulted Dr Bhaskar and ransacked her house. 8220;The police tried to frame us, by ransacking the house of Dr Bajpai.8221;

Police have denied the charge. They say that when they intervened in the dispute some of their personnel were assaulted and injured. Four persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.