SAMBALPUR: House surgeons and PG students of VIMSAR came to blows after argument over a trivial issue escalated during the annual fest of MBBS students on Sunday. At least three students were injured in the incident.
In the aftermath of the incident, the house surgeons launched a cease work protest on Monday morning, demanding action against the PG students involved in the altercation.
As per eyewitnesses, the altercation began over a minor disagreement and soon spiralled out of control. The house surgeonshouse surgeonsand PG students were seen arguing and it soon turned physical. As the brawl gained momentum, the college authorities along with local police, were called in to intervene. After several hours of tense negotiations, the situation was brought under control late in the night.
By then, the damage had already been done, with both sides harbouring grievances against each other. VIMSAR director, Bhabagrahi Rath said, officials reached the spot after getting information about the dispute and got to know that some students had called Burla police station. “Eventually, we sought help of police to control the situation.
The ruckus continued till the wee hours of Monday after which both the parties dispersed. However, the house surgeons informed us in the morning that they would refrain from joining their duties until their grievances are addressed,” he added.
Though house surgeons form a crucial part of the workforce engaged in providing patient care, the director informed the functioning of the hospital was not affected much. Patient care was managed as usual by senior doctors and other hospital staff.
Rath said, the scuffle broke out over some petty reason and as it intensified, it turned violent. However, no serious injury was caused to anyone. Some of the students sustained minor bruises. “We convened a meeting to hear the grievances of both the parties on the day and efforts are underway to mediate and settle their differences. We hope the situation will get back to normal by tomorrow,” said Rath.
Local police said a close watch is being kept on the situation. Burla SDPO Ambit Mohanty said, no complaint has been filed by any party. “We were called in after the dispute to control the situation. The authorities have assured of settling the issue on their own. However, we will take appropriate action if we receive any written complaint,” he added.