Berserk mob vandalizes hospital
BY DIPENDRA BADUWAL
BUTWAL, May 24 - Butwal bazaar remained tense till late Tuesday evening, after a mob including Maoist cadres, vandalized Lumbini Zonal Hospital (LZH) and two dozen other private clinics. Alleging doctors' negligence behind the death of Deepak Sapkota of Jamuni of Bardiya, the mob, mostly comprising local youths, street children and Maoists resorted to vandalism.
Dr LD Bhatta and Dr Shreekrishna Giri, who were on duty at OPD section, had immediately attended Sapkota.
According to LZH sources, Sapkota, who was brought to the hospital in serious condition at around 11 am, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. He was admitted in the emergency ward of the hospital as he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.
Following Sapkota's death, irate youths who broke into LZH also mercilessly beat up surgeon Giri while he was attending another patient at the emergency ward. Before being thrashed, the mob blackened Giri's face and forced him to walk for some 500 meters. The mob also pelted stones at LZH building for over two hours causing huge damage.
Saroj Thapa, who identified himself as a Maoist guerilla, said that 20 of their men were deployed during the protest. A Maoist commander present at the site refused to talk to the journalists. However, no family member of the deceased Sapkota was present during the protest.
Later in the evening, the mob also burnt down an ambulance belonging to Rotary Club at Media Chowk. The mob also looted medicines and cash from Jyoti Medical at around 7 pm.
Till late evening, Maoist cadres were seen in different thoroughfares of the town burning tires and obstructing vehicular movement. Locals were terrified of the arson that erupted all of sudden in their area. Property worth millions was destroyed by the mob.
Fifteen policemen including police inspector Bamdev Gautam were injured when protestors clashed with police at different places.
Dr Sridhar Acharya of LZH said Dr Giri sustained internal injuries in the beating. "However, he is out of danger," Acharya said.
Meanwhile, condemning the attack on Dr Giri and vandalism on the hospital, Nepal Medical Association (NMA) demanded strong action against the guilty.
Issuing a statement in Kathmandu, NMA has warned of strident protests and said it will halt all medical services including emergency if security is not guaranteed to health workers.
It has also asked all concerned not to repeat activities that discourage health workers.
Posted on: 2006-05-23 19:40:39 (Server Time)
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