Mangaluru Association of Medical Consultants supports police action inside Hospital
Says those who were in the hospital were 'anti-social elements'
Mangaluru : Association of Medical Consultants, Mangalore (AMC) has sided with the local police in the city after Indian Medical Association (IMA) condemned the incident wherein the police barged into a local hospital on December 19 and ransacked the corridors of the hospital including the door of an ICU.
Dr. Santanu Sen, National President of IMA, issued a press release on Sunday condemning the incidents of police action and reports of denial of access to medical care to the injured protesters. The press release mentioned that the police barged into the ICU, clearly indicating the release was in reference to the incident reported from a hospital in Mangaluru.
The press release from the IMA asserted that it was a “new low in civic life of the nation” and “a clear indication of the new truth and the new standards”.
“IMA stands up for retaining hospitals as safe zones. All violence are unacceptable especially those perpetrated by the State on the people who require medical attention and care. Everyone should feel comfortable in the hands that heal. Indian Doctors will never let down whoever requires care. No politics can dilute this resolve” the press statement from IMA headquarters had stated.
Although the media release did not name Highland Hospital and the December 19 incident of Mangaluru at the Highland Hospital, it mentioned the barging of police department in ICU clearly indicating it’s reference to the Highland Hospital incident. CCTV footage of Highland hospital was doing rounds on social media platforms from Thursday showing police barging into hospital and trying to break open the door of ICU.
AMC in a press release rejected the reports and added that it was unacceptable as the release by National IMA from Delhi condemned the incidents of violence in general across the country and not any specific incident.
“Very surprising is a reference in the news reports, to such a specific incident in Highland Hospital Mangalore on December 19, even though the media release by National IMA from Delhi condemned the incidents of violence in general across the country and not any specific incident” AMC’s press statement stated.
“AMC Mangalore, condemns any violence means of protest, including those from within Highland Hospital during the said incident and violent attacks on a police station in the city earlier in the day, which eventually resulted in a tense situation leading to curfew. These misguided anti-social elements resorting to violence against the police are often the same people who create nuisances in the Hospital and interference in duty of Doctors for providing medical treatment” it further added.
The Association also sided with the police’s version of the story and added police entered the hospital to tackle 'miscreants who create Law and Order issues on the street but had entered hospital to hide'. It also denied reports claiming police action amounted to a denial of healthcare access to the needy.
“We Doctors often take help of police when there are incidents of abuse/violence in Hospitals and police have promptly brought the situation under control. How is it any different when the same police enter the hospital to tackle miscreants who create Law and Order issues on the street but had entered hospital to hide? We strongly deny any allegation that police actions amount to denial of healthcare access to the needy. In fact, on our inquiry at the incident site, no interference was reported. To further condemn the violence by police personnel on patients by the media reports, is highly unacceptable, as nothing close to this has happened at all. There is no complaint either by the hospital owners, Doctors” the release added.
Dr. Yusuf Kumble, noted cardiologist of the city and MD of Indiana Hospital Mangaluru, who is also an executive committee member of AMC differed with the view and facts expressed by the association and claimed that the committee was not considered before issuing the press release.
Dr. Yusuf Kumble, when contacted by Vartha Bharati voiced his dissent over the press release and added the press release over the issue was not right. He also claimed he was not consulted before issuing the press statement.
Dr. Kumble also noted that he has brought his views and differences over the statement to the notice of the association while also adding that he does not deny the police atrocities at the highland hospital on December 19.
“There are enough evidence to establish the fact that the police barged into the hospital and ransacked the corridors and ICU. There is no denial that the police carried atrocities inside hospital premises. We as a body cannot decide if those present in the hospital when police barged in, were anti-social elements” Dr. Kumble told Vartha Bharati.
Dr. Kumble further added that the body cannot zero-in on people and label them as 'those who often create nuisances at the hospitals'.
“We cannot point at people and say these are the people who often creates nuisances at the hospitals. We also cannot side with the police and say whatever they did was right, we cannot give clean chit to the personnel for what they did on December 19, evening. An inquiry into the matter will reveal details and facts about the incident and it is the job of judiciary to give clean chit to the cops, not us. I have brought all these points to the notice of the association” Dr. Kumble added.
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Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
