Police constable opens fire at hospital staff, two injured

Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Apr 5 (UNI) Two hospital staffers were injured when a police constable on escort duty, enraged by the stance of the hospital staff, opened fire in the casualty ward of the government general hospital here today.

According to police, constable Ramana, along with his colleague Veerabhadrarao, came on escort duty for an undertrial prisoner Y Punnaiah, a cancer patient. Ramana got angry when male nursing assistant Busi Prasad stopped him from sitting on the chair of the duty medical officer in the casualty ward last night.

Allegedly under the influence of alcohol, the constable hurled abuses at the male nursing assistant and even slept on the bed in utter disregard of the rules. The constable woke up in the early hours and left the hospital hurriedly only to return with a rifle at around 0730 hrs. He opened fire indiscriminately at the male nursing assistant and the other staff. Later, he left the place in an auto and surrendered in the three-town police station.

Another staff member A Thoti, who was witness to the incident, went into coma due to shock.

The condition of the male nursing assistant, who received bullet wounds in the chest, was stated to be critical. His colleague Subbu Venkata Ramana, who received a bullet injury on the hand, was convalescing in the hospital.

SP Y Nagireddi, who visited the hospital and conducted preliminary investigation, ordered the arrest of the erring constable Ramana and placed him under suspension. Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi also visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the injured medical staff.

The medical employees staged a dharna in front of the hospital in protest against the high-handed behaviour of the police. They called off the stir only after the SP assured them of immediate action against the erring constable.

UNI XC VA GD RR BD1415