Police cover for taluk hospital on the cards, says Minister Ramdas

Close on the heels of ransacking the Government Hospital and subsequent assault on duty doctors here on Saturday, Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas visited the hospital to take stock of the situation.

He met the hospital administrator and Dr Anilkumar who was reportedly manhandled by the frenzied mob. District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Nagarajarao was asked to give a detailed report at the earliest.

The minister suspected the involvement of rowdy-sheeted persons in the incident and directed Circle Inspector S E Gangadharswamy to take stern action besides submitting a report. This is the third incident of attack on the hospital as well as on doctors and the government is planning to deploy police personnel in the hospital.

When Ramdas’s attention was drawn to severe shortage of doctors, the minister directed DHO to recruit doctors through interview immediately. He also asked the doctors to be courteous while dealing with patients and the citizens. He also inspected the damaged portion of the hospital and promised to take steps for the completion of new hospital building soon. MLC Siddaraju, Deputy Superintendent of Police Muttuswamy Naidu and others were present.

On Saturday, A gang of youth vandalised the Government Hospital following death of an youth who met with an accident in the town.

Adding to their ire was a rumour doing the rounds saying that another person had also succumbed to injuries. The KSRTC which bus going from Mysore to Kushalanagar collided with the car coming from the opposite direction at Chowdenalli in the taluk, resulting in the death of Bylakuppe resident Ashraf (26), who was travelling in the car.

Another passenger of the car Najeeb Khan became unconscious and was critically injured. He was taken to the Government Hospital. At the same time, the body of Ashraf was kept in the mortuary. However, family members of the deceased opined that his body was warm and asked the doctor to recheck.

The doctor confirmed the death of Ashraf much to the ire of the relatives, who started attacked the doctor.

A few youths ransacked the hospital and also broken the water tank. Sources said that despite repeated request from the nurses to stop from damaging the articles, the youth continued their attack.

Local MLC K Venkatesh remained a mute spectator to the entire happening as the mob was not in a mood to listen to anybody. Many patients ran out of the hospital for safety.

The miscreants also barged into the operation theatre and broke the bulb causing injury to a lady who was undergoing surgery.

Later, police resorted to mild lathi charge and dispersed the crowd. Police have taken up the case.

The injured has been transferred to a hospital in Mysore.