Sitapur (PTI): A man has approached the Sitapur district magistrate with an unusual complaint – claiming he can’t sleep at night out of fear as his wife “turns into a nagin".

The complainant, Meraj from Lodhasa village in Mahmudabad tehsil, narrated his “ordeal” before District Magistrate Abhishek Anand during a ‘Samadhan Diwas’ (public grievance redressal day) on October 4.

Meraj alleged that his wife, Nasimun, is mentally unstable and spends the nights pretending to be a “nagin” (female serpent), hissing and scaring him.

He claimed that despite his repeated pleas, local police failed to take action in the matter, forcing him to approach the district administration for help.

The officials present at the grievance redressal programme were reportedly taken aback by the unusual complaint, even as the district magistrate directed police to look into the matter and take appropriate action.

“We have received a complaint has been received and the matter is under investigation,” a police official said.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday hit out at the Congress government over alleged medicine shortages, large-scale irregularities and disruption of services in the health department.

The situation had deteriorated to such an extent that doctors were forced to protest on the streets, he claimed.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the Siddaramaiah-led government lacked the will to resolve pressing public issues and accused it of indulging in "blame politics" instead of governance.

"Due to the irresponsibility of this Congress government, the health department itself is in the ICU. There is a severe shortage of medicines in government hospitals. The 108 ambulance services are facing severe problems. Doctors have been pushed to the streets to protest. The Congress government celebrates 1,000 days in power with achievement conventions, but it has failed to solve real problems," he said.

He criticised the state government for allegedly shutting down Jan Aushadhi centres located on government hospital premises, claiming that needy patients are suffering as they are not getting medicines.

"For the past two months, government doctors themselves have been advising poor patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies because medicines are unavailable in hospitals," he alleged.

Vijayendra further alleged that the state government has reportedly not cleared Rs 143 crore in dues to institutions providing CT scan and MRI services.

"As a result, needy patients in rural and urban areas are unable to access these services. Pregnant women are facing hardships. Doctors are forced to protest on the streets...This government claims to be one that delivers on its promises. But does it have even the slightest concern for how poor people are struggling in the healthcare sector," he alleged.

The BJP state president claimed that the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and its deputy D K Shivakumar is not pro-poor; instead, it is a government that supports middlemen.

"Who is responsible for the medicine shortage in government hospitals and medical colleges? The state government and the concerned ministers are responsible. According to information available to me, under pressure from influential individuals, irregularities are taking place in medicine procurement. Instead of purchasing medicines through authorised central and state agencies, the government has moved to fragmented district- and taluk-level tenders," he claimed.

He further alleged that due to commission demands of 15-20 per cent, many companies and public enterprises are not participating in tenders, worsening the system.

Vijayendra claimed that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation's procurement system has been sidelined, leading to an artificial shortage of medicines.

He also alleged that a private individual from Mangaluru is controlling the state's medicine procurement system, supplying medicines to most government hospitals.

"This has led to market prices being inflated. Medicines costing Rs 100 are reportedly being purchased for Rs 300. I will provide more documents and evidence in the coming days," he claimed.

He also alleged that staff associated with the 108 ambulance services have not been paid salaries for the past eight to nine months.

"The government must take responsibility and reform the system instead of protecting middlemen," he added.