Srinagar, Feb 7: Police have agreed to vacate the Maternity and Childcare Hospital (MCH) in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, district administration claimed on Monday. 
 “The MCH will function from Tuesday as police have agreed to vacate the building,” the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Bashir Ahmed Bhat told Greater Kashmir.
 He said the matter was sorted out after district administration convened a high level meeting of officials of Health Department and Police to sort out the issue, in wake of law and order problems in the town for the past 2-days.
 Forcible occupation of the MCH had evoked resentment from the locals with Sopore observing a complete shutdown for second consecutive day today.
 Due to occupation of hospital the maternity health services were badly  hit in the town forcing medicos to refer delivery cases to LD hospital in Srinagar .
 Maternity health services were hit after OPD block which comprises laboratory and ultransonagraphy room was occupied by the Police on Sunday.
 Meanwhile, Bar Association and prominent socio-religious organization of town today joined the agitation against the forcible occupation of the hospital.    
 The Anjuman-i-Moniul –Islam had called for suspension of business activities in town on February 8, in protest against the police move.
 “Even in the times of war occupation of hospital is an international crime. The claim of police that they were attacked from hospital side are baseless,” the organization said in a statement. 
 The Bar Association Sopore also castigated police for occupying the hospital and demanded immediate vacation of the hospital. 

Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST