SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 31: The indefinite strike by the Dhanbad Bar Association intensified on Saturday as lawyers and Sadar Hospital employees came face to face over the demolition of a boundary wall inside the hospital campus.
While lawyers linked their protest to the demolition of a wall blocking a court entrance passage, Sadar Hospital employees opposed its removal, citing safety concerns for patients, doctors and health staff.
SSP assurance not met: Lawyers
Bar Association general secretary advocate Jitendra Kumar said the three-day-old strike would continue. He stated that on Friday evening, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhat Kumar had assured lawyers that the wall would be demolished by 9 am on Saturday and a 16-foot-wide entrance passage would be provided.
“But when the wall was not demolished at the assured time, lawyers decided to continue the strike,” Jitendra Kumar said.
Lawyers have been on an indefinite pen-down strike since Thursday, protesting the construction of the wall inside the Sadar Hospital premises, which they claim blocked one of the traditional entry routes to the court.
Tension at hospital premises
Tension prevailed at the hospital premises when some lawyers allegedly pelted stones at the boundary wall. Police were immediately deployed, and the situation was brought under control.
The Bar Association general secretary admitted that some agitating lawyers resorted to stone-pelting on what they described as an illegally constructed wall.
Hospital staff sit on dharna
Hundreds of Sadar Hospital employees staged a dharna on Saturday morning, opposing any attempt to demolish the wall.
Later, at around 1.30 pm, doctors and other hospital staff took out a silent procession under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent Dr Sanjiv Kumar, demanding safety and security for patients, doctors and health workers.
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Hospital cites Supreme Court directive
Civil Surgeon Dr Alok Viswakarma said the boundary wall was constructed in line with Supreme Court directives to ensure the safety of doctors, staff and patients. He added that as government work was being disrupted, the health department had written to the Chief Justice and the Law Minister seeking security for medical personnel.
Referring to the RG Kar Hospital incident in Kolkata in August 2024, he said the Supreme Court had directed all hospitals across the country to strengthen campus security.
“Keeping this order in mind, the wall was constructed inside the hospital premises,” he said.