Govt sets up panel to inquire into threat, abuses hurled by Pulwama civic body chief to doctors
ADC asked to submit report within 5 days
Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama,: Authorities in Pulwama have taken cognisance of a video in which Municipal Committee President Pulwama Bilal Ahmad Rather was seen threatening doctors at District hospital Pulwama.
An official order taking note of the video which went viral on social media and drew strong condemnation from civil society said the Jammu and Kashmir Doctors Coordination Committee approached the district administration with a representation alleging Rather barged into the duty room of doctors at 6.30 pm and hurled abuses.
“The doctor concerned had felt so much threatened and intimidated but had still managed his duties overnight without any compromise despite huge mental trauma, he used unparliamentary language and also interfered in discharge of legitimate duties by doctors. The Doctors Association is aggrieved of such unbecoming behaviour and pray for early action against the erring group,” said the order, a copy of which lies with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
It said that a panel led by Additional District Development Commissioner Pulwama is constituted for enquiry and it will submit its report after conducting thorough enquiry within a period of five days.
Besides ADC, Chief Executive Officer Municipal Committee Pulwama, Chief Medical Officer Pulwama, Tehsildar Pulwama and Deputy Superintendent Police Pulwama will be members of the committee.
An application submitted by the hospital staff and addressed to SHO Pulwama said that at 6:15 pm on February 27 “a few miscreants” barged into the room and in a rude behaviour asked why a patient had been asked to undergo USG outside the hospital after 4:30 pm.
They obstructed the patient care which could have caused death or a serious complication to critical patients admitted in the casualty and emergency section, it added while seeking assurance about their safety. “We request your good self to lodge an FIR under relevant sections,” it said.
Meanwhile a police official told KNO that a case bearing FIR no
40 of 2023 U/s 353, 506 IPC at Police station Pulwama and further investigation has been taken up.
On the other hand, the MC President had told KNO that he feels sorry for using abusive language but said that the full story is not being shown in the video—(KNO)
