Bengaluru, Nov 8: Hours after launching a 24-hour shutdown of outpatient services, doctors in Karnataka on Friday called off the protest over assault of a colleague as members of a pro-Kannada outfit allegedly involved in the recent incident surrendered before the police.

Doctors affiliated to the Karnataka chapter of the Indian Medical Association commenced the shutdown of Out Patient Department (OPD) services in their hospitals and nursing homes at 6 am in response to the call by the body to protest the assault of a colleague in a government eye hospital.

The protest affected people with minor complications in getting medical assistance and junior doctors in government hospitals too joined the strike, burdening the seniors.

However, citing the surrender of the accused, the IMA announced withdrawal of the strike which was to have continued till 6 AM on Saturday.

"After the group which assaulted a doctor surrendered to the police, we have decided to call off our strike. The OPD will be operational in all the hospitals," IMA Karnataka Secretary Dr Srinivasa S said.

The IMA has given the call in support of the Minto Hospital junior doctors on a strike since Friday last demanding the arrest of the KarnatakaRakshana Vedike (KRV) members who had allegedly assaulted one of their colleagues.

The KRV members have alleged proper compensation was not given to the victims of an alleged botched cataract surgery drive in July this year.

A few people had lost their vision partially due to a drug reaction.

Meanwhile, doctors of the Minto hospital too called off their strike after authorities during talks held with them agreed to enhance security and install CCTV cameras in all government hospitals.

Dr C R Jayanthi, dean of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), under which the Minto hospital functions, announced the breakthrough.

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Shivamogga: A 17-year-old student from Kamakshi Street in the city, Prem Kumar, died of drowning while swimming in River Tunga in Pillangiri village of the taluk recently.

Prem, who was studying in II PUC at DVS College, was visiting the temple in Pillangiri with his friends and got into the river for a swim, when he drowned in the waters of the river.

The youngster’s body has been sent to the mortuary of the McGann Hospital in Shivamogga to conduct a post-mortem examination.

Shivamogga Rural Police visited the spot and held an inspection.