| Authorities ask female doctors, visitors to 'bear with criminal assault' | | After militant attack, gangsters on prowl at SMHS Hospital | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 10: After a deadly militant attack at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital on February 6 which claimed two police men, some gangsters are on prowl at the hospital and frequently attack people, mainly the female doctors and attendants. A Pakistani militant undergoing treatment in the hospital fled during the attack.
In the last three days, at least four persons have been targeted in separate attacks by gangsters moving around freely at the hospital.
Witnesses said gang comprises drug addicts who attack the people with sharp edged weapons. They said on February 9, the gangsters attacked two female doctors who were finally rescued by the visitors.
Prior to it on February 8, the gangsters had tried to attack a woman and some other visitors. Though the hospital security chief was prompt enough to grab one of the accused and handed him over to local police station, the gangster was released within minutes and the next morning the same man attacked more women.
The hospital staff said the gang has a "wicked modus operandi" of attacking people. "One of them attacks his prey may be for money or other valuables and when he is caught, the others from his gang pretending to be bystanders get him released," said a doctor. The doctors said the drug peddlers exploit hospital premises for drug peddling as well.
Officials said the female staff at the hospital have been asked to "bear with such attacks" till security is improved.
Officials told Early Times that the SMHS Hospital was poor at security due to "shortage of workforce.". They said the authorities at Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, have repeatedly asked the government to enhance the security at its associated hospitals, particularly the SMHS Hospital.
The GMC Principal Dr Samia Rashid had written numerous letters in 2017 to the state government to enhance the security of the associated hospitals "to safeguard the infrastructure along with patients and staff."
Sources said after the recent militant attack, the GMC officials have again asked the concerned to improve security but till now there has been no breakthrough.
When contacted a police official posted at Karan Nagar Police station confirmed that criminal elements were on prowl at the hospital. He however said the accused couldn't be put behind the bars unless someone files a formal complaint. "Nobody is coming forward with a formal complaint so how can we help the people," the police said. |
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