Police beat, detain cardiologist; IGP orders inquiry

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar May 25

A cardiologist in Kashmir has accused police of beating and detaining him when he was on way to reach a hospital to attend a patient needing emergency care.

Dr Syed Maqbool, a cardiologist at the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, said on May 23 morning, a day before Eid, policemen hit him and dragged him to the Zadibal police station in Srinagar.

The doctor claimed his phone was snatched, he was abused, hit in the belly and dragged to police station. He also said he was threatened that he would be stripped off and beaten to hell if he argued.

Maqbool said he was allowed to call his head of the department late afternoon to inform he could not attend emergency duties but with a rider that he won’t reveal he was in police station.

Principal, GMC Srinagar, Dr Samia Rashid said, “I have received multiple complaints from doctors and healthcare workers, harassed by police. It has become a routine. I have taken up the issue with government and the Police Department with a hope that action will be taken against the culprits.”

The Police Department has sought report from the Superintendent Police concerned.

“I was crossing Hawal Chowk towards my hospital for my duty. I was stopped by a constable, who told me to turn back and take some other way even as I showed him my identity card and duty roaster. That day, I was cardiologist on call for SMHS and all associated hospitals of GMC,” Dr Maqbool revealed in a letter.

After he insisted the policeman to allow him to proceed, the cop told him “what then you are a doctor”.

“I came out of the car and asked him I want to talk to the officer in-charge. He (policeman) hit my belly with his baton and in the meantime the SHO came out running and dragged me to the police station,” claimed Maqbool.

At the police station, the SHO snatched his phone and identity card. “You doctors are thieves indulged only in selling duplicate medicines and taking commissions. You people are good for nothing,” Maqbool quoted the SHO saying.

However, he repeatedly requested them to allow him to use his phone to inform his head of the department.

“At 4 pm I was allowed to make a call to my colleague for arranging someone to take care of patients, with an order that if I tell them I am in the police station, I will be stripped naked and put behind bars. I had to tell my colleagues that I am caught up in an emergency at home,” he said.

At 6 pm he was released on bail after his brother came to know about his whereabouts. 

Doctors in Kashmir are angry over the incident and are demanding action against the police officer.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar on Monday issued strict directions to ensure that all the COVID frontline workers are facilitated properly.

The IGP took strong notice of the complaint appearing in some sections of media about police personnel. 

He also instructed the SP for Zadibal area to submit a factual report regarding the incident. 

The IGP said doctors, paramedics and police were jointly combating Covid-19 and “whatever incident has taken place, we shall look into them, conduct impartial enquiry and take due action”.

He said, “We all frontline workers shall ensure that persons with vested interests shall not be allowed to misuse any situation to vitiate the atmosphere and hamper the immensely important work being done by all COVID warriors together.”