4 held for ransom demand, Safidon docs call off strike

Tribune News Service

Jind, January 23

Safidon doctors called off their three-day strike following the arrest of four persons who had demanded ransom of Rs 4 lakh from a local doctor.

Safidon SHO Bhartendra Kumar said accused Sanjivan alias Kokla, Shri Bhagwan, Krishan and Tarif were arrested from various parts of Jind district. He said they formed a gang named ‘Kokla’ and made the ransom call to arrange for compromise money for two of their accomplices in jail in a murder case.

“Their two accomplices are in Jind jail in a murder case. Some days back, the victim’s relatives agreed to strike a compromise if paid Rs 42 lakh. The accused decided to demand ransom from Dr Mukesh Sehrawat to arrange money for the purpose,” said the SHO.

On why they chose a Safidon doctor, the SHO said the Kokla gang wanted to take advantage of the murder of Dr Manish Garg to further terrorise doctors and extort money. Last year, Dr Manish Garg was shot dead by the Boocha gang last year in front of his hospital in Safidon.

“Since Dr Mukesh Sehrawat refused to pay up and doctors went on strike, things became tough for the gang members, resulting in their arrest,” the SHO said.

“We have procured their four-day remand to conduct further investigations. We want to probe their role in some other cases also,” he added.

Two persons allegedly came to Dr Mukesh Sehrawat's Sehrawat Hospital and demanded Rs 4 lakh from the doctor and warned him that failure to pay up would land him and his family in serious trouble.