The police have registered an FIR following a threat by extremists of the outlawed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (pro group), who on Saturday night asked doctors to close down emergency services and the out-patient department of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here until further notice.
In fact, terrified postgraduate started closing down the emergency services immediately after two extremists came to the ticket counter there and left behind a China-made hand grenade wrapped in a paper, which contained a terse note calling for suspension of the services until an “agreement” was reached. However, Director S. Sekharjit Singh himself came there and dissuaded the students from closing down the services in the government of India institute. In moral support to the doctors and students, he is staying in the emergency and OP wards for long periods. No arrests have been made.
Police sources said that from time to time some outlawed underground organisations had asked the medical college authorities to do certain things for them. In this instance, it is believed that the Prepak (pro) might have put forth certain demands and in the absence of the desired response, the outfit asked the authorities to close the emergency services and the OPD.
In the past, there were sit-ins protesting bomb threats to the hospital, where CRPF and IRB guards have been posted permanently.
A doctor was kidnapped for ransom and there were shootings that claimed some lives. Besides, bomb blasts occurred on the campus. Militants also brought some “condemned” persons to secluded places in the hospital for killing, thereby vitiating its atmosphere.
The Director has appealed to all concerned not to create law and order problems lest patients coming from many parts of the northeast be scared. Every year 100 students from the NE States are admitted to this college, and 150 postgraduate students from all over the country are enrolled.
The Director, the Medical Superintendent and some other doctors get armed security round the clock. The administrative block and some departments are guarded by armed personnel.
