Junior doctors call off Lalbazar march after arrest of two accused

Kolkata: The junior doctors have cancelled their proposed Lalbazar march on Tuesday after the police arrested two main accused ~ Seikh Tabir and Md Nizamuddin, who were involved in the assault on some junior doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital in June, during which two junior doctors had sustained critical injuries.

The junior doctors on Monday said that they cancelled the Lalbazar march after the police took decisive action in arresting the two main accused who were behind the attack at NRS.

They also said that they have responded to the appeal of the Director General of police (DGP) Virendra, who sought 10 days time to take action against the other culprits involved in the NRS incident.

The decision was announced after a general body meeting at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on Monday afternoon. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that on Sunday the junior doctors had threatened of a march to Lalbazar.

"Following our agitation from June 10 to 17, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave us some assurances during her meeting at Nabanna. Many of her assurances have been translated into action, while some of her assurances are yet to be fulfilled. During a meeting with the DGP on July 27, he told us that positive steps would be taken against all the accused in the NRS incident," a junior doctor said.

He further stated: "We came to know on Monday morning that the two main accused have been arrested and remanded in police custody till August 9. Around 15 persons were involved in the attack on the junior doctors, which is also evident from the CCTV footages of the hospital."

"We also wanted to know from the DGP what progress has been made in connection with the two separate incidents of attack on the junior doctors at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital and Burdwan Dental College and Hospital. We were told that five

persons have been arrested in connection with the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital incident and three in

connection with the Burdwan Dental College incident," said the junior doctor.

He added: "As we have seen considerable amount of progress in all these cases, we have taken a unanimous decision not to go for agitation, therefore cancelling the Lalbazar march on Tuesday. We have responded to the appeal of the DGP where he sought cooperation from us."

The junior doctors also said that they would hold a general body meeting at NRS Medical College and

Hospital later in the day, where they would talk to the victim doctors who received severe injuries during the assault and remained under treatment for a long time. They also threatened

to organise a mass protest opposing

the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019.