SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 21: Indian Medical Association (IMA) state chapter today shot-off a letter to Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh in protest against delay in arrest of abductors of Latehar woman physician Dr Neelima Kumari.
They have also demanded his immediate interference in matters so that doctors of the state could serve patients without fear.
IMA state president Dr AK Singh and secretary Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh in a joint letter to the Chief Secretary have said that Dr Neelima Kumari was abducted from Chandwa of Latehar district on January 12 and was taken to Ramgarh district. After payment of Rs 2.5 lakh as ransom, the abductors released her.
“After getting freed, Dr Neelima Kumari lodged an FIR in Chandwa police station against abductors but not a single of them has been arrested so far by the police. From this lackadaisical approach of police, not only doctors of Chandwa (Latehar) but all doctors across the state are living in fear and are agitated from the incident. They are finding themselves unable to discharge health service responsibility,” read the letter.
“Jharkhand IMA wants to draw your attention towards the mental condition of doctors in wake of police inaction against abductors of a woman doctor. The morale of the doctors is down and they are contemplating for agitation. So we request kindly for an order for immediate arresting of the abductor so that doctors of state could feel safe and work in a fearless environment,” they said.
Besides state Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, IMA has also sent a copy of memorandum to DGP and additional chief secretary (health) Arun Kumar Singh.
Earlier, IMA Latehar district chapter president Dr SP Sharma and secretary Dr Shrawan Kumar Mahto had given a memorandum to the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Latehar over abduction of the lady doctor and ransom payment.
IMA sources said when the district administration did not take any action, the IMA state chapter shot-off the letter to the Chief Secretary for his intervention.
