Doctors boycotted out-patient sections in protest against the conduct of Deputy Superintendent of Police Velmurugan in ill treating two doctors in Paramakudi on Wednesday.
Expressing their solidarity, doctors from the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, Indian Medical Association and other associations condemned the DSP.
It is said that two doctors, Manikandan and Vignesh, who were working in a Primary Health Centre, were asked to work at the COVID care centre in Paramakudi Government Arts College. The two went to a nearby shop at around 8.30 p.m. to purchase a few items including soaps and tooth-paste.
Even as they were about to leave in their two-wheeler, a police officer questioned them as a part of inquiry. They did not have identity cards so that he suspected their claim that they were doctors.
When the doctors tried to contact their seniors, some unpleasant exchange of words took place. When senior officers from the Health Department prevailed upon the police, they were let off, office-bearers of doctors association told reporters in front of the Government Medical College Hospital here on Thursday.
A senior police officer said that since COVID-19 restrictions were in force, they were directing all shops to down shutters. If they produced their identity cards, the issue could have been solved. Though there was suspicion that the two could have consumed liquor, doctors claimed it was baseless charge.
The association, as a mark of protest, announced a boycott of out-patient section on Thursday at the Government Medical College Hospital and at Paramakudi.
The TNGDA state office-bearers said that such ill treatment was painful at a time when doctors were taking very high risk in treating patients.
They said that they were thoroughly upset over the way the DSP Velmurugan handled the issue and demanded a departmental action against him. The doctors threatened to intensify their agitation if there was any failure to take stern action.
