Nagaland medical associations threaten to ‘cease work’

Dimapur, April 20 (EMN): Medical associations in Nagaland have demanded immediate punitive action against the police personnel who assaulted a dentist, Mongshithung Murry, on April 17 in Wokha.

If the government authorities do not take action against the erring personnel within a week, the medical associations will ‘cease work,’ the statement warned.

The Nagaland branches of the Indian Dental Association (IDANSB), the Indian Medical Association, and the Nagaland Ayush Doctors Association issued on April 20, Monday, a press statement.

The groups' statement was addressed the state’s chief secretary, the Home Commissioner, and the director general of Nagaland Police.

The medical associations expressed pain at the assault and “torture” of Murry, stated to be a member of the IDANSB, by police personnel on April 17 in Wokha.

“The videographic evidence that went viral within Nagaland and across the country clearly shows that the defenceless doctor was mercilessly assaulted. Times have changed where even criminals and animals are no more treated in such manner. It deserves the highest level of condemnation by all sane human beings,” the associations stated.

The assault on the body and head of Murry not only caused massive injury to him, but also caused trauma to the victim and his family, and the medical fraternity, the medical associations stated.

“Despite identifying himself as a medical professional, he was not spared. Let aside the medical fraternity, the police personnel on duty have no right to assault any citizen in such a manner. The incident happened when all the IDANSB members are waiting to be trained to combat Covid-19 pandemic.”

The Nagaland medical associations referred to a similar case in Dimapur where a physician was assaulted by police personnel.

“In good faith, the first case which occurred in Dimapur was compromised, but compromise does not mean it is forgotten. Assaulting doctors by police personnel is becoming a habit in the state,” the associations stated.

‘Even before the first assault wound is healed, the second incident occurred. The repeated incident has left a huge scar in the minds of medical professionals in general.’

‘While we have great regard and respect for the police in general, we the undersigned hereby appeal to the responsible authorities to take immediate punitive action against those erring police personnel involved to establish trust within the professionals working together to combat the pandemic Covid-19.’

The associations have given the authorities a week to take action against the police personnel. If the government does not, the medical fraternity will stop work, the statement warned.

‘It is our demand that action against the erring personnel should be taken within a period of one week. If no action is taken within one week’s time, the entire medical fraternity shall resort to cease work,’ the press statement stated.

The medical associations have asked the authorities to take prompt action to “boost the morale of the medical fraternity.”

“Failure to show firmness at this stage may encourage further misconduct in future. The issue has become a larger public issue which cannot be allowed to be settled indoors. The rule of law must reign supreme” the Nagaland medical associations stated.