SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Jan 19: The Junior Doctors Network (JDN) has expressed strong displeasure over a late-night search conducted by the district administration in the girls’ hostel of Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) in Palamu’s Daltonganj, on Saturday.
The search was carried out without prior permission from college authorities, sparking widespread protests from medical students and faculty members.
JDN president Dr. Vikash Kumar (RIMS Ranchi), general secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar (MGMMCH Jamshedpur), and chairman Dr. Sushil Kumar condemned the incident, calling it a violation of protocol. They announced plans to launch protests against the district administration’s actions.
Late-Night Search Ignites Controversy
At approximately 8:30 PM on Saturday, a district administration team led by SDM Sulochna Meena conducted a sudden search of the girls’ hostel. The team inspected rooms, washrooms, and the hostel campus.
The operation was carried out without the presence of any college authority, prompting strong objections from the MBBS students residing in the hostel.
According to sources, MMCH principal Dr. Paras Nath Mahto and senior faculty member Dr. Atul Prakash were attending a Continuing Medical Education (CME) program when the search occurred.
Around 8 PM, SDM Meena reportedly sought only the phone number of the girls’ hostel warden but did not seek formal permission for the search. Dr. Mahto later arrived at the hostel at 10 PM to address the situation.
Violation of Medical College Guidelines
As per medical college regulations, district administration officials are required to obtain prior permission before entering college premises. Following the search, no official statement was provided to the college regarding any objectionable items found.
“This type of search has never been conducted in the girls’ hostel of any medical college in the state. If it is done under proper rules, we will support it, but otherwise, we will strongly protest,” said JDN president Dr. Vikash Kumar, who also serves as the joint secretary of IMA Ranchi.
JDN general secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar declared that students from all six medical colleges in the state would unite to agitate against what he described as “dictatorial behavior” by the Palamu administration.
JDN chairman Dr. Sushil Kumar added that the association is seeking to meet the health minister to bring the incident to his attention.
Faculty Members Voice Opposition
Senior faculty members of MMCH have also criticized the administration’s approach, stating that proper permission should have been obtained if there were suspicions of objectionable items in the hostel.
Despite repeated attempts, neither MMCH principal Dr. Mahto nor SDM Sulochna Meena were available for comments on the matter.
The incident has fueled outrage among medical students and teachers, with protests expected to intensify in the coming days.
