Dhangadi, February 21

Doctors serving at District Hospital Doti left the district today due to security reasons.

Dr Jitendra Singh was serving at District Hospital Doti on deputation but he was manhandled on Sunday. Following the incident, Dr Singh, Dr Biwash Parajuli and Dr Raj Kumar Bishwokarma deserted the district because of security reasons.

A relative of a woman assaulted Dr Singh accusing him of misbehaving with the woman while taking video x-ray. Dr Singh’s teeth were broken in the attack.

Doctors working at the government hospital left the district after Nepal Doctors’ Association and Association of Government Doctors jointly issued a statement asking doctors in private and government health facilities to leave the district.

“The doctors left the district feeling unsafe and as per the advice of their professional organisation,” said District Health Office Doti Senior Public Health Administrator Satish Bista.

Another doctor Girish Awasthi, who has been serving on behalf of Nick Sheiman, an NGO, at the hospital is also preparing to leave the district tomorrow.

Actually, there was a heated argument between a female patient and Dr Singh in the course of taking video x-ray of the woman. Following the misunderstanding, an enraged Dr Singh forced the woman to go out without the x-ray. Then the woman called her relatives and accused the doctor of misbehaving with her. Following the complaint, the kin of the woman approached the health facility and beat him black and blue.

District Police Office Doti is preparing to file a public offence case against four persons held for their involvement in the attack. The alleged have been identified as Hikmat Singh Bista, Bijaya Bista, Tek Bahadur Bista and Arun Mahat of Dipayal Silgadi Municipality-7 of the district, as per DSP Shiva Bahadur Singh. “Investigation into the incident is under way,” said DSP Singh.

Meanwhile, Dr Parajuli said they had no alternative but to leavie the district as the kin of the woman threatened to file a rape case against them.