CHENNAI: Seeking the intervention of the State to secure the release of a government doctor who has been lodged in a Lucknow prison following a complaint by a moneylender, over 100 doctors from various departments of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital staged a protest on Monday.
After the doctors pursuing post-graduation struck work, many scheduled elective surgeries were suspended, and the administration had to deploy assistant professors and paramedical staff to deal with the shortage of hands during the day.
Dr M Sudheer, a senior professor with the orthopaedics department of Madras Medical College (MMC), was arrested from the hospital and lodged in a jail in Lucknow, following a money dispute with Kamaraj, a local lender. The doctor had borrowed `20 lakh for his children’s education expenses and for building his home in 2011.
When the two had a dispute over repayment, a complaint was filed in the Teynampet police station and a petition is pending before a court in Chennai. In the meanwhile, the moneylender reportedly approached a gang in Uttar Pradesh, which filed a police complaint in Lucknow stating that the doctor had obtained `1 crore promising permission for a new medical college.
As the matter created flutter, the police here arrested Kamaraj under various sections of the IPC and Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act 2003, on Thursday.
Dr R Sathish, a PG student from the orthopaedics department, said the students have made a call to other medical colleges to join them through students representatives.
“Scheduled elective surgeries were carried on as planned. We are making alternative arrangements for Tuesday’s procedures. Non clinical staff and assistant professors’ help has been sought to make sure emergency services are not affected,” Dr K Narayanasamy, dean (in-charge), MMC, told Express. The college administration has taken all steps to secure the release of the doctor, the dean said.