Banihal, August 24 : A medical officer “habitual for his absenteeism” allegedly assaulted BMO Banihal inside the emergency hospital premises Banihal in J&K’s Ramban district on Wednesday leaving him injured, officials told Greater Kashmir. The BMO has written to the police against the accused doctor who was briefly detained by the police.
Eyewitnesses and hospital staff present in the hospital said that many patients reached the emergency hospital Banihal and after finding the room of the accused medical oficer Dr Saqib Khan, a pediatrician closed during duty hours, approached BMO Banihal.
Amid public outcry, BMO Dr Shabir went to the spot at 10:48 AM and indeed found the room of the doctor locked and clicked the photographs of the locked room of the doctor with geo tags, eyewitnesses said. They said that all of sudden Dr Saqib Khan, who was allegedly practicing at a private clinic during duty time, appeared on the spot and manhandled and punched the BMO in the hospital premises leaving him injured.
The BMO was somehow rescued by people ocal people, said the eyewitnesses. Later, BMO Banihal brought this matter to the notice of Director Health Services Jammu, DC Ramban and local administration of Banihal for legal action and a police case against thr the accused doctor. He said he has gotten a positive response from Dy director health services Jammu and from DC Ramban and a quick action has been assured. He said written compliant for FIR has been sent to SHO Banihal.
SHO Banihal Mohammad Afzal Wani confirmed that a complaint has been lodged by BMO Banihal against the accused doctor adding an FIR will be determined by the level of injury to the BMO, which is yet to be established.
Wani said the accused doctor was briefly taken into custody and later released.
In a letter to DHS Jammu, BMO Banihal said that today on 24.08.2022 at 10.30 AM while on routine inspection of the Hospital, Dr. Saqib Khan Medical officer “when asked about his non compliance and habitual absence and late reporting to his OPD, misbehaved and manhandled undersigned and used un parliamentary language in presence of patients and staff”.
“Due to his manhandling I got my arm and hands injured. Staff and patients present interfered and saved me, rather he would have killed me. The staff and patients are eye witness of the episode which took place in front of the hospital casuality, ” he said.
The BMO further wrote that the doctor is “habitual of remaining absent and busy in private practice at private chemist shop and attends his dues off and on and that too not on time. On enquiring, the doctor used un parliamentary language and manhandled”.
“It is as such requested that strict action as warranted under rules may kindly be initiated against the erring officer at earliest otherwise circumstances are compelling undersigned to proceed on protest leave, ” the BMO Banihal said.