THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the flash strike by doctors and staff members protesting against the attack on casualty ward allegedly by CPM workers at the General hospital in Neyyattinkara on Saturday, several patients were left unattended for almost half a day while hundreds were ended up in long queues.
However, the casualty ward was exempted from the strike which has eventually been called off with the intervention of the hospital superintendent Dr Stanley.
According to Stanely, the strike ended with the police agreeing to arrest the culprits. "We can understand the problems of patients. But we also need to express our protest. Hence we decided to take off from the duty for a few hours. However, everything is settled", he said.
Earlier, several equipment and materials were destroyed in the attack that took place on Friday night.
When Express talked to some of the patients, they said many out-patients(OP) had been waiting in the queue over two hours.
"This is an irresponsible act from the part of doctors. I am coming from Pachalloor near Thiruvallam as I was recommended a doctor here to treat my husband who is a heart patient. But I had to wait here for hours," said Suhra Beevi, a relative of a patient.
What happened
At around 7.30 pm on Friday, a group of CPM activists barged into the casualty ward and man-handled two RSS workers who were kept under observation. They destroyed all the materials and tried to manhandle the duty doctors and staff members. The RSS workers were taken to the hospital after they were allegedly hacked by the CPM workers at Vazhuthoor near Neyyattinkara owing to a minor issue.
The injured RSS workers are now under treatment at the Medical College Hospital. The Neyyattinkara police have arrested three CPM workers in connection with the incident—Vinayan, Visakh and Renjith—who have been remanded under judicial custody. According to the police, more arrests are likely to follow soon.
Hospital Superintendent mobbed
BJP-RSS workers marched towards the hospital and mobbed Dr Stanley urging the authorities to take action against him for his alleged dereliction of duty.
BJP Neyyattinkara Mandalam president, Manchathala Suresh said the superintendent had committed serious lapses by not preventing the attack of CPM activists. The protest extended for over two hours under police vigilance.
Later, Neyyattinkara deputy superintendent of polic B Hari Kumar intervened and dispersed the protesters after a reconciliation meeting. Neyyattinkara municipal chairperson W R Heeba and vice-chairman K K Shibu were also present at the meeting.