Gaya kidnapping: Doctors defer strike

Following an assurance by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, the Bihar unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has deferred for a week the proposed state-wide strike of doctors in protest against the kidnapping of a doctor and his wife in the state.

The strike in protest against kidnapping of Dr Pankaj Gupta and his wife has been postponed for about a week, considering the assurance given by the Chief Minister regarding the rescue of the couple, Working President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Shahjanand Singh said. However, doctors have decided to wear black badges and stage a sit-in protest in their districts, Singh added.

Meanwhile, the CM held a meeting with state police chief PK Thakur and Principal Secretary (Home) Amir Subhani over the kidnapping. The couple was kidnapped last Friday.

A report from Gaya said a large number of doctors under the IMA banner and Bihar Health Services Association and members of various non-political organisations joined a protest march against the kidnapping.