Police removed hundreds of nurses from the compound of Sacret Heart Hospital at Painkulam near Thodupuzha after they resorted to an indefinite strike on Tuesday. The nurses continued the strike outside the hospital till evening.
Vipineesh Kumar V.S., district secretary of Indian Registered Nurses' Association and a staff member of the hospital, said that they were forcefully removed from the compound while trying to organise a symbolic and peaceful protest as the management had failed to concede any of the demands including salary hike and risk allowance put forward in a discussion held earlier.
He said that the functioning of the hospital had not been hindered and the future course of the agitation will be decided on Wednesday morning.
Police were also deployed in front of the hospital. According to the police, the striking nurses were removed to provide security and to help the hospital function normally. There were allegations that the hospital authorities locked the hostel gate in a bid to prevent those there from joining the agitation. An official of the hospital said that its functioning had not been affected and only a section of the nurses were on agitation.
