Coimbatore: Docs, nurses go on strike protesting attack by mob

COIMBATORE: Doctors and nurses at the Mettupalayam government hospital went on a strike on Wednesday after the family members and relatives of a patient who died in a road mishap, attacked their colleagues on Tuesday evening.

According to police, Rajan (43), a daily wage labourer residing at Kuttaiyoor near Mettuplayam was returning home on his bike along with wife Rukmani (36), after darshan at Bannari Amman temple on Tuesday evening. While nearing a cinema theatre on Karamadai road by around 6 pm, a speeding truck knocked down the bike and the couple suffered serious injuries.

Motorists crossing the stretch rushed them to the Mettupalayam government hospital. After providing first-aid, doctors asked their relatives to take Rukmani to the Coimbatore Medical College hospital (CMCH) for further treatment. While their relatives took Rukmani to a nearby private hospital at Mettupalayam, doctors there directed them to rush the patient back to Mettupalayam government hospital, since her condition was very serious.

As they were heading back to Mettupalayam government hospital, Rukmani allegedly died on the way. Doctors who examined her declared her ‘brought dead’, upon which angry relatives attacked the duty doctor, Laxmana Kumar, nurse Mahalaxmi and attender Kumarasamy.

They also ransacked the ward and blocked traffic in front of the hospital, raising slogans demanding action against the duty doctor for allegedly taking time to treat the patient.

Following a talk with Periyanaickenpalayam DSP Mani, the mob withdrew their protest and road-roko. Traffic on the stretch was affected for more than an hour, while the body of Rukmani was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, doctors and nurses of the Mettupalayam government hospital went on a strike on Wednesday by around 11 am, condemning the attack and demanding action against the gang that assaulted their colleagues.

Two special teams have been deployed to nab the offenders based on CCTV camera footages received from cams installed in the hospital.

More than 100 policemen were deployed on duty at the hospital premises. The doors of the out-patient (OP) ward remained closed on Wednesday, while hundreds of outpatients gathered at the hospital premises for treatment. Department higher officials gathered at the spot and held discussions.