HP notice to 40 docs,ex-principals

The Himachal Pradesh Government on Thursday slapped notices on 40 doctors,including two former principals,one of them already retired...

The Himachal Pradesh Government on Thursday slapped notices on 40 doctors,including two former principals,one of them already retired,as a follow-up action on the magisterial inquiry report regarding the death of medical student Aman Kachroo. The inquiry report clearly indicates that the negligent attitude of the principal and the staff of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College RPGMC,Tanda,led to ragging incidents.

Former principal Dr S Shankayan has already been placed under suspension following apex court orders while the hostel warden and manager were suspended immediately after Kachroos death. Later,chief warden Dr Ramesh Bharti,a professor of surgery,was also suspended.

States Principal Secretary health Deepak Sanan confirmed that separate notices had been sent to the doctors who failed to perform their duties either as principals,hostel wardens and even members of the disciplinary committee at different times.The magisterial inquiry,which submitted its report on March 26,had listed out details of cases which occurred before Kachroos death since 2001.

The inquiry report has listed more than 10 specific cases of ragging and indiscipline in the college besides nailing the guilty in Kachroos death. The doctors have been told to send their replies before April 23 failing which,it shall be presumed that he/she has nothing to say in the matter,and further action will follow without taking the reply into consideration,reads the show cause notices.

Former principals Dr N K Kaushik and Dr J R Thakur,Suman Yadav,anatomy professor at RPGMC Tanda,P K Kaundal,associate professor pharmacology and N L Sharma,a retired professor,are among those sent notices.

Inquiries reveal that the Government has hurried through its action against the erring doctors in view of the Supreme Court having taken a serious note of the issue and had advised the Raghavan Committee on ragging to hold its inquiry into Kachroos case. Kachroos parents had protested over the Governments inability to take action against the doctors.

It has been ascertained that the menace of ragging and indisciplinary acts by the students have been prevalent since the colleges inception. The reason for not complaining against ragging incidents was the apathy of the administration in dealing with earlier reported cases, says the notice. It seeks an explanation as to why action should not be taken against them for negligence of duty and failure to check ragging incidents in the college.