BHU doctors go on indefinite strike

Varanasi, Dec 27 (UNI) After observing a day-long token strike yesterday to protest the lathicharge on medicos by security personnel, junior doctors at the Sir Sunderlal Hospital (SSU) of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) today went on an indefinite strike.

All medical services, including outdoor patient, emergency and ICU remained paralysed owing to the strike by the SSU Resident Doctors Association (RDA).

''We demanded that the security personnel responsible for Monday evening lathicharge on the BHU medicos be sacked from their job, but the university administration failed to respond. We have no option, but to convert our token strike into an indefinite strike,'' RDA-Youth for Equality convenor Kamal Gupta told newspersons.

Meanwhile, authorities at the SSU hospital -- the medical hub of East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- said senior doctors were making their best to ensure that patients are not adversely affected by the strike.

The junior doctors are protesting the lathicharge on anti-reservation students of Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS-BHU) by university security personnel near the Vice-Chancellor's residence on Monday last.

Eight students were wounded, three of them seriously in the lathicharge.

Station Officer of Lanka Police Station Prashan Kumar said that a case has been lodged by medical students against Chief Proctor S K Singh in connection with the lathicharge, while university administration has registered a case of violence on campus against the medicos.

UNI ARS ATI VD VV1749