Scores of doctors from the Valley’s main tertiary care hospital, Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS), here on Wednesday held a silent sit-in against alleged growing incidents of harassment of doctors on COVID-19 duty by the J&K police recently.
Wearing masks and holding placards, the doctors assembled in the premises of the hospital and staged the protest. It comes a day after the principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar, raised the issue of a cardiologist’s detention and thrashing with the administration formally.
In the latest incident, Chief Medical Officer, Bandipora, Dr Tajamul Hussain claimed he was stopped on Tuesday by the police for over 20 minutes when he was on the way to inspect a quarantine centre and a sample collection centre in Bandipora.
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) president Dr. Suhial Naik said doctors across J&K will wear black band.
“Following back-to-back episodes in which doctors were manhandled, harassed and not allowed to discharge their duties amid the COVID-19 outbreak, a one-day black band protest on Wednesday against the excesses by government forces will be held,” Dr. Naik said.
Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar said he has asked all the field functionaries to ensure smooth movement of the doctors and the paramedics. “Directions have been passed on to all the district top officers to facilitate the health professionals who are performing duties,” he said.
