3 accused of assaulting junior doctor arrested

VARANASI: The resident doctors of SSL Hospital of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday although the three persons accused of assaulting a junior doctor were arrested late on Wednesday night.
The residents doctors have struck work following assault on a junior doctor by some BHU students and others on November 3.
The resident doctors, who are demanding arrest of all the accused in the assault case to call off their strike, on Thursday morning sought replacing their name by medical superintendent DR SK Mathur as complainant in the FIR lodged in the case.
BHU spokesman Rajesh Singh said, “Regarding the new demand of the resident doctors, the SSL hospital MS gave a copy of complaint to Lanka police to replace the name of complainants by his name in the initially lodged FIR. However, Lanka police made it clear that replacement of name of complainant in any FIR is not possible, although name of a new complainant could be included in the ongoing investigation process.”
On Wednesday night, Lanka police arrested three accused including a former BHU student Kshitij Kumar, MA (philosophy) student Prem Anand and a research scholar of Peace Study Centre of the varsity Rahul Kumar Rai for assaulting a junior resident on hospital campus on November 3. The FIR was lodged against five unidentified persons the same night in this regard. The varsity administration also ordered suspension of Anand and Rai and formed an investigation committee, said Singh.
Following the arrests, it was expected that the resident doctors will call off their strike and return to work from Thursday morning. However, they continued their strike and raised new demands, including replacement of name of complainant in the FIR and adequate security in and around the hospital premises.
Due to the strike, the outdoor patient department remained closed, although some senior consultants tackled a few patients registered on Thursday. Dr Mathur said though the patients admitted in indoor patient departments didi not face any problem, new admissions were avoided in view of the strike. The operation theatres, emergency services, ICU, CCUs and diagnostic units remained unaffected.
He said all the issues and demands raised by the resident doctors had been fulfilled but they are adamant to continue the strike.