Death of Bihari youth: Doctors threaten strike

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) Monday threatened to go on strike after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy refused to revoke action against five doctors for dereliction of duty leading to the death of the Bihari youth.

"On September 27, we will stage a dharna in front of the secretariat. We will have one more round of talks with the chief minister and if that too fails then we will have no option but to go on an indefinite strike from October 1," said a KGMOA official after meeting with the chief minister.

The doctors also announced that from September 6 they would start a "non-cooperation" strike when they will not perform duties other than examining patients at hospitals.

 Later, Chandy told reporters that the decision to take action against the doctors was based on two reports submitted to the government.


"These reports point out that there were certain lapses on part of the doctors. We made it clear that the action was not disciplinary but based on the report. During the strike period, if any patient suffers then strict action would be taken against doctors," Chandy said.

The 24-year-old Bihari youth Satnam Singh Mann, was brought dead from a mental hospital here to the Medical College Hospital on August 4.

Action was taken against five doctors.

The KGMOA has been protesting against the government action. Mann, who was suffering from a mental illness, was earlier arrested for creating a ruckus at spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi's Ashram near Kollam on August 1. Later, he was sent to a police station and moved to two government hospitals in Kollam.

A crime branch probe was ordered on August 6 and two employees of the mental hospital were arrested.