Police foil self-immolation bid of nine medical staff

Sambalpur, May 23 (UNI) Alert police today saved the lives of nine staff of VSS medical college and hospital in Burla as they attempted to immolate inside the college premises, protesting the injustice meted out to them by the college authorities.

As announced earlier the agitating employees of group D arrived in the medical college in groups and suddenly poured kerosene on their bodies.

But before they could immolate themselves, police force present at the spot rushed to them and prevented the employees from setting them on fire.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer(SDPO) K Chattrjee and Burla Inspector Incharge of Police Susil Kumar Panigrahi soon arrested the nine staff members.

The agitated employees later told newsmen at the police station that they were forced to resort to self-immolation bid as even after working for several years the medical authorities did not consider their demand to make them permanent staff.

" We are yet to be made permanent or even ensured minimum wages, " they said and claimed that they had been getting only 5-8 days job in a month and received a meager payment of Rs 300 to Rs 400 per month.

The college authorities, they alleged, even did not consider their application while recruiting regular employees in the department and instead opted for freshers.

UNI