On Wednesday, two government doctors, who were posted on COVID duty at a Covid Care Centre (CCC) in Paramakudi, were allegedly manhandled and abused verbally by a high-ranking police official on Tuesday night. 

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) condemning this incident has announced a boycott of OPD services at Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram government hospitals on Thursday. 

Dr. R Manikandan, who is an Additional Medical Officer at Valinokkam PHC, and Dr. V Vignesh is a Medical Officer of Parthibanur Block PHC were on COVID deputation duty at the care centre that is established at the Paramakudi Government Arts College. Dr. Manikandan said they both live in Sayalkudi and so chose for 24-hour COVID duty at the care centre. He further said that on Tuesday night, they both went out on Vigneshs sports bike to buy some essentials from a shop, which was 500-700 metres away from the care centre. 

Around 8.40 pm, the duo spotted Paramakudi DSP S Velmurugan, who was on night patrol at the shop and they were questioned by him and his driver. The DSP asked how doctors can ride race bikes, and his driver forced them to get into the police van in which 5 other police people and a man in his 50s were already sitting. They drove around the town for more than an hour and the police were randomly picking up anyone found on streets and threatening them.

After taking them to the Paramakudi Town police station and making them stand at the junction, the DSP thrashed the man in his 50s for no fault and verbally abused him. Then, the DSP told them that the public should fear the police and not the doctors. The DSP threatened that he would file an FIR against them that would deprive them of the government doctor posts. Both the doctors were finally let go at around 10.15 pm and they had to walk 3km to take the bike. 

He further said that they both did not have dinner and were exhausted and had to receive treatment for it at the Paramakudi government hospital. They finally returned to duty at around 12.30 am on Wednesday.

They handed a written complaint to SP E Karthik on Wednesday, about the police high-handedness towards the healthcare workers who are on COVID duty. They asked for action against the DSP. 

The State president of TNGDA Dr. K Senthil has urged the State government to terminate the DSP from service and has strongly condemned this incident. Doctors will boycott the outpatient services at the Paramakudi Government Hospital and at the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital as a mark of initial protest. Dr. Senthil said in a statement that the doctors would go on a state-wide agitation in case no action is taken on the police. 

Ramnad SP E Karthik had admitted that they should have let them off after being identified as doctors, rather than taking them to the police station for questioning. He denied the allegations that both the doctors were manhandled. He said that an argument broke out when the duo was taken to the police station for inquiry. 

The DSP, who suspected unjustified movement on a high-speed motor vehicle at the time of night curfew, took the doctors for inquiry. However, the duo should have let go when they were identified as doctors on COVID duty and they shouldn’t have taken them to the police station. In this COVID situation, taking too many people to the police station for interrogation should be avoided. The DSP is summoned and an inquiry is ongoing.

Source: The New Indian Express