Doctor of govt hospital beaten up after pregnant woman's death
Agartala: A doctor of a government hospital here was beaten up by family members of a patient after she died in the hospital's labour room in the early hours of Friday, police said.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said stern action will be taken against those who attacked the doctor.
The 25-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital around 1.20 am and she died of cardiac arrest around 2 am on Friday.
Alleging medical negligence, the patient's family then attacked and seriously injured the doctor, police said.
The gynaecologist was admitted to the trauma care centre of the G B Hospital where his condition was stated to be improving.
Addressing a press conference at his residence, Deb, who is also the home minister of the state, said, Dr Dipankar Debnath was attacked by a group of people after one patient died in a hospital's labour room on late Thursday night.
Security has been enhanced in two government hospitals following the attack on the doctor, the chief minister said.
"They severely beat up the doctor, dragged him out of the hospital and even tried to kill him," Deb said.
"This attack was inhuman and barbaric, and we cannot keep mum if anybody tries to take the law in his hand. The police has been asked to take stern action," he said.
Five persons were arrested in this connection.
They were granted interim bail by a court but they are still in jail because they could not produce bail bonds.
"The police will investigate the case seriously and take steps to punish them," Deb said.
Police pickets were set up in two major hospitals of the city, G B Pant Hospital and Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, the chief minister said.
The chief minister also appealed to the doctors not to close their chambers or out patient departments (OPD) at the hospitals.
In a joint statement, the All Tripura Government Doctors Association and the Indian Medical Association's Tripura Chapter announced that doctors would close their chambers and refrain from voluntary services such
as blood donation and health camps. They also and threatened to resign en masse unless their demands were met within a week.
Their demands included arrest of culprits in attacks on doctors in the past one year, setting up of police pickets and installation of CCTV cameras in government hospitals.
"When the government assures to punish the guilty and enhance security for them, they should normalise the situation," the chief minister said.
Deb said, another doctor posted at Sabroom Government Hospital was attacked by relatives of a patient on April 1 and all the accused were arrested.
Meanwhile, Tripura Health Minister Sudip Roy Burman said he would surrender his police escorts in protest against the incidents of violence against doctors.
It is "improper and unethical" for him to move around with escorts while doctors are being attacked, he said.
"I am compelled to surrender police escorts as long as security in the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and other district hospitals is not provided," Burman said in a letter to the chief minister.
"The government doctors and other staff have been feeling insecured working at various government hospitals," he wrote in the letter.
These attacks are sending negative signals to the fresh graduates and in the coming days they might leave the state, the letter said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
