India-Pakistan tensions: Rajouri government hospital stops salaries of staff for fleeing duty amid Pakistan shelling

JAMMU: Taking strong action against health staff found absent from duty during the military flare-up between India and Pakistan, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Rajouri has announced to withhold their salaries.

According to officials, several staff members, including faculty, fled Rajouri town on and after May 7 as Pakistan intensified cross-border shelling.

GMCH-Rajouri serves as a key medical institution for the entire Pir Panjal region spread across the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which were the worst hit by the heavy artillery and mortar shelling from across the border, as well as drone attacks by Pakistan.

In an order issued on Monday, GMCH principal, Prof (Dr) A S Bhatia, said the salaries of all staff members, “including faculty, consultants, senior/junior residents, staff nurses, paramedical staff, technical staff, ministerial staff, Multi-Tasking Staff, interns and others who have fled Rajouri and remained absent from their duties...during the war like situation and who have not marked their biometric attendance, shall not be released”.

It will be treated as unauthorised absence, and appropriate entries shall be made in their service records in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations, Bhatia stated in his order.