SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 24: Some goons attacked Dr. Sujit Kumar Tiwari, a senior professor of Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad for extortion and severely injured his driver near a restaurant under Saraidhela police station yesterday late last night.
Dr. Sujit Kumar Tiwari, the head of the microbiology department, told the police that the incident occurred around 11 p.m. He was returning to his house from London Street Restaurant near Steel Gate. Suddenly, two criminals intercepted him on the road at gunpoint and asked him to pay Rs 5 lakh per month as extortion. When his driver Dipak Kumar protested, the criminals hit him with lathi and threw a heavy brick on him.
Dipak Kumar suffered injuries on his head in this attack and his teeth were also broken.
“I immediately informed the Saraidhela police station for help and got the injured driver admitted at the college hospital,” said Prof Tiwari.
On getting information, the Saraidhela police team reached the spot in a short time but the criminals had fled by then.
“I identified one of them as Dinesh Pandey, a resident of Loharkulhi who, by brandishing a pistol, asked me if I was earning hefty money these days. And told me that I should pay him extortion,” added Dr. Tiwari.
Car driver Dipak Kumar today lodged a complaint in the Saraidhela police station. Prof Dr. Tiwari has also sought security cover from senior police officers.
Kishore Tirkey, the officer-in-charge of Saraidhela police station said that police have begun a probe of the incident, and criminals involved in it would be arrested soon.
Meanwhile, the SNMMCH administration is yet to initiate any steps for the safety of Dr. Sujit Tiwari. Principal of the college Dr. Jyoti Ranjan Prasad said he was on leave while officiating principal Dr. BC Banerjee said that he has yet to get official information from the victim doctor.
