KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) o Saturday strongly condemned the assault on health staff by a cop of J&K Police at Barthana, Qamarwari.
“This morning as a routine, the ambulance of sub-district hospital (Magam) was ferrying medical staff of the hospital and on way to Magam the ambulance was stopped by a cop at Barthana,” Dr G M Mir President Dak said in a statement issued this afternoon.
“The policeman was very ill mannered while talking with the ambulance driver and later dragged him down from the ambulance. The driver was brutally manhandled and verbally abused which made the staff in the ambulance to come down and respond to the unruly behaviour by the said cop. The cop along with other forces harassed the whole staff and showered choicest abuses on them and didn’t even spare the female staff. They also threatened them of the dire consequences,” Dr Mir said, “to add to the shame the men in uniform didn’t even allow the staff to reach to the hospital which compelled the staff to return.”
Meanwhile, a protest demonstration was staged jointly by Doctors Association Kashmir, Health & Family Welfare Confederation, J&K and Drivers Association of Health Department.
DAK member, Dr Gul Afroz Khuru, who is one of the victims of the forces action said, “it is quite deplorable that medical staff and women in particular were abused and threatened like this by men in uniform. It has shattered me to the highest ebb and I feel threat to my life while going to duties.”
Dr Nasir Shamas, notehr victim, said, “we are becoming impatient and fearful now. It is impossible to work under such conditions.”
Khurshid Ahmad Bhat, President Health & Family Welfare Confederation, while condemning he sought intervention of authorities for putting an end to unruly acts like these by forces.
Bashir Ahmad, President Drivers Association of Health Department, castigated the continuing attacks, assault and humiliation of ambulance drivers and other medical Staff.
Dr Imtiyaz Banday, President Society of Dental Surgeons J&K while condemning this inhumane act demanded strict action against the culprits so that “there is a sense of fear free atmosphere for medical employees that will allow us to work without threat to life”.
The statement said that DAK slammed the authorities at Directorate and Ministerial level who after so much of assurances to our safety have failed miserably.
“Day in and day out we are threatened, assaulted and humiliated and no strict actions have been taken so far against the culprits. Moreover, seeing no end to these ghastly acts has let us and our families in deep pain and agony,” the statement said.
Dr Mir stressed Director Health Services Kashmir, Secretary Health & Medical Education Department and the Ministry concerned to intervene the matter so as to make sure that these incidents do not happen in future and strict instructions to this effect should be conveyed to law enforcing agencies down the line.
