Guns SHOT, Vehicles Burned, Principal beaten: Violence Erupts at UP Medical College

Ambedkarnagar: Violence hit the roof at Mahamaya Rajkiya Allopathic Medical College recently, when the family members and supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and the medicos attached to the institute clashed. During the incident, a clerk at the medical institute sustained a gunshot wound.

According to confirmed media accounts, four FIRs have been registered in the case and nine persons were arrested including a supporter of the MLA; who were later released. In commotion against the aggressive dispute, the medicos went on an indefinite strike and at least 26 doctors resigned as a mark of protest.

The incident took place on 20th November when the politician's relative's condition deteriorated and the family members approached the Mahamaya Rajkiya Allopathic Medical College for her treatment. After undergoing the tests, the patient was referred to King George's Medical University in Lucknow for treatment and the ambulance was called for shifting the patient.

However, the ambulance was not available at that time. Frustrated, the BJP MLA Sanju Devi's brother-in-law Shyam Babu Gupta argued with the Medical College Principal and Vice-Principal over the delay in getting an ambulance. Following that, he roughed up the doctors and made the principal and some senior doctors hostage at gunpoint, reports UNI.

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Explaining the whole incident to The Indian Express, the Circle Officer (CO) of Tanda area informed that after the verbal spat, he allegedly slapped the Principal and held them captive inside a room. Soon after the news spread, hundreds of medical students gathered at the medical college premises.

Seeing the furious medicos, Gupta and his aides locked themselves inside the room with the Principal, while the angry students torched four luxury vehicles of Gupta's fleet. "Gupta allegedly opened fire to disperse the students and a bullet hit a hospital clerk Arvind on his hand," the police officer confirmed.

The situation was controlled only after senior police officers reached the spot with the heavy police force. The college authorities were freed thereafter.

After the fire was doused, police took Gupta and his eight henchmen to the police station and released them shortly after.

Meanwhile, four separate FIRs were registered following the incident, two each on complaints by the medical college and the MLA's supporters. However, no arrests have been made so far.

Station Officer (SO) of Aliganj police station Virendra Rai confirmed to The Indian Express, "The first FIR lodged is on the complaint of the principal against four named people including Gupta and around a dozen unidentified others for rioting, causing hurt and wrongful detention. Second FIR is on a complaint by college clerk, who sustained a gunshot injury, against 12 named persons including Gupta for an attempt to murder and under sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act."

The other two FIRs have been filed by the MLA's supporters against the Principal and Vice-Principal for the attempt to murder, rioting, robbery and intentional insult, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

When asked for his clarification on the incident, Gupta claimed he was agitated because the doctors did not attend to the patient properly.

TOI adds that a day following the incident, on 21^st November, 26 doctors of the Medical College resigned as a sign of protest.

The staff of the medical college has gone on indefinite strike and has demanded the arrest of all the accused, adds News18.

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