GUWAHATI: On Saturday evening, August 31, locals of a tea estate in Jorhat, Teok Tea Estate, brutally attacked hospital authorities and management staff after a patient died in the estate’s hospital.
Following the death of the patient, identified as Samara Manjhi, the angry locals alleged that there was no hospital staff to attend to the deceased.
In the incident, a doctor, identified as Dr. Deben Dutta was seriously injured and was taken to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries.
Jorhat police have detained fifteen people in connection to the tragic incident and a magisterial inquiry has been ordered in regard to the incident.
Police authorities have informed that the situation is currently under control at the tea estate.
According to reports, following the incident, the management of the tea estate had ordered a lock-out until further notice. It was mentioned that the locked-out workers would not receive any wages or other benefits until the lock-out was implemented.
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The tea estate management has also asked for a written assurance of discipline and good conduct from the workers.
However, it is to be mentioned that medical services, water and electricity supply, watch and ward staff who were on their security duty have been kept out of the lock-out notice.
In addition to this, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Assam State Branch has also called for a statewide withdrawal of medical facilities including emergency, in all tea estate hospitals in the state from 6 AM on September 2 to 6 AM on September 3.
They have also asked for a central law that protects doctors against violence in hospitals.
The IMA has in addition called for an exemplary protest demonstration on September 2 and a candle light vigil for Dr. Dutta on the same day.
The association has also demanded the following after the incident- immediate lockout of the tea estate until culprits are arrested under all strict legal provisions, adequate number of security staff in all plantain hospitals and medical units including personal security for all allopathic doctors employed in such tea estates, installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable areas of medical units in the estates and written assurances from tea estate workers unions in regard to the protection of doctors.