Sr. doc put in lock-up in Shopian, manhandled; cop suspended
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 12: Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Baramulla, Mohammad Ahsan, was today seen beating people for violating Corona curfew in videos that went viral on social media and the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has sought a factual report from the Deputy Commissioner.
The ADC beat several people including employees and women with a stick while enforcing COVID-19 lockdown.
In the viral video, the ADC can be seen beating several people including women which has hugely been criticized by the cross-sections of society with people demanding action against him and his staff for use of violence against people and women in particular.
An SBI Bank official Shadi Lal was also beaten up by the ADC with stick when he was on way to bank. “He beat me up despite the fact that I told him that I am a bank official and on my way to duty. There sticker on front and rare side of my car displaying where it was clearly written essential service”, said Shadi Lal.
All India State Bank Officer’s Federation condemned the assault on Bank officials in Baramulla during COVID-19 curfew. “We condemn brutal assault on two officers of SBI today by ADC Baramulla who were on way to open bank branches. We demand exemplary punishment for the miscreant”, the Federation tweeted.
Meanwhile, an official in the district administration said that the ADC took a strong note of violations reported and dealt with them sternly besides warned them to follow Government advisories in letter and spirit.
He said that the ADC urged upon the people to cooperate with the administration adding that there is nothing more important than human lives since every preventive measure is for the safeguard and to keep the virus away.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, PK Pole on the incident told reporters: “Context of the action will be looked into and appropriate action will be taken accordingly.”
“Looking at the context is also important and whatever is suitable will be done”, he assured.
He later sought report from DC Baramulla on the incident. An order issued by Additional Commissioner Kashmir Qazi Sarwar asked for factual report on the issue from Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla.
“Apropos to the subject cited above, I am directed to request you to kindly send the factual report viz a viz the context of the situation and the content of the video to this office as soon as possible”, read the order.
In the meantime, police today allegedly harassed and manhandled a senior doctor as well as locked him up inside Police Station Shopian for more than four hours when he was heading towards District Hospital Shopian for routine duty.
As per a letter written by the Medical Superintendent of the District Hospital Shopian to the SSP Shopian, Dr Ehsan-ul-Haq (MD Paediatrics) was stopped and by the police even after he showed his departmental identity card
“We would like to bring it in your kind notice that one of our doctors namely Dr Ehsan-ul-Haq (MD Paediatrics) while travelling from his residents towards District Hospital Shopian for his routine duty was stopped by the J&K Police even after showing the departmental identity card was manhandled…” the letter read.
The letter stated that the said doctor was locked up with the criminals for four hours. “…was placed under police custody at Police Station Shopian, without any reason for at least four hours with the criminals already present there,” the letter read.
The MS in the letter has stated that: “This act of JK Police towards doctors has demoralized medical fraternity in this crucial time of COVID-19 pandemic. Also, we like to inform your good self that due to the absence of mentioned doctor who was put under police custody by the JK Police; patient care has suffered a lot today at District Hospital Shopian”, the MS has asked the SSP Shopian to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) condemned heckling and harassment of healthcare workers by police amid the COVID-19 lockdown and said that it was unacceptable.
DAK in a statement said that they received many distress calls from their colleagues whereby they were harassed, abused and in few cases manhandled by police while they were on their way to attend their professional duties.
“It is unfortunate that one of our doctors, Dr Ehsan, a paediatrician at District Hospital, Shopian was manhandled by the police while on his way to duty, was then put in a lock-up along with dreaded criminals for about 4 hours and during this period the patients at the hospital suffered a lot who had come from far off places”. Dr Mohd Yousuf Tak, President DAK said.
The SSP Shopian has suspended a cop involved in the beating of the doctor and a para-medic in Shopian. The suspension was ordered under the directions from the IGP Kashmir.
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