Violence in BHU as students, docs clash
Tension gripped BHU campus here when students, enraged over alleged beating of three colleagues by doctors at the trauma centre on Wednesday night, created a ruckus and set 30 motorcycles on fire at Dhanvantari hostel where doctors reside.
Following the incident, junior doctors of trauma centre and Sir Sunderlal Hospital (both part of BHU) went on strike on Thursday. Senior doctors were, however, attending to patients at both the hospitals.
Trouble began when two inmates of Birla Hostel -- Prabhat Upadhyay and Ayush Singh -had an argument with doctors when they sought preferential treatment for Subham Tewatia, a student of BA-II. Shubham, also an inmate of Birla Hostel, had suffered injuries in an accident.
The doctors allegedly beat up three students and held them hostage in a room. As the information reached Birla Hostel, several students marched towards the trauma centre menacingly. Most of the doctors fled the hospital when they saw the irate students, who reportedly beat up a few doctors. However, soon a number of resident doctors joined their senior colleagues and drove away the students.
Senior superintendent of police Akash Kulhary and district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand rushed to the spot to control the situation and spoke to the students and pacified them. On the advice of the officials, the injured student was admitted to emergency ward of Sir Sundarlal Hospital.
BHU spokesman Dr Rajesh Kumar Singh said the students torched 30 motorcycles of resident doctors and indulged in stone-pelting at Dhanvantari Hostel.
He said those who indulged in violence had been identified and strict action would be taken against them. “Some students tried to disrupt peace which will not be tolerated,” he said.
The SSP and the district magistrate later held a meeting with BHU vice-chancellor Prof Girish Chandra Tripathi. “Maintaining peace at BHU and the hospital is our priority. Action will be taken against unruly elements on the basis of the complaint,” the SSP said.