Odisha doc arrested for thrashing women health workers

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Rayagada, Feb 2:

The medical officer in-charge of Chandrapur community health centre (CHC) in Odisha’s Rayagada district was on Monday arrested for allegedly beating up six women health workers during the monthly review meeting.

The accused medico Dr Sanjib Kumar Behera was on Sunday detained at Muniguda police station for interrogation.

Besides, a departmental inquiry was also launched by the Rayagada ADMO on Sunday as per orders from the CDMO, sources said.

On Saturday, as many as six auxilary nursing midwives (ANMs) of Chandrapur CHC were admitted to Muniguda CHC after they were allegedly beaten up by Dr Behera of the same health centre.

Dr Behera had reportedly thrashed the six ANMs for their failure to furnish monthly reports. During the monthly review meeting held at the Chandrapur CHC, the medical officer sought monthly reports from the health workers. The six ANMs reportedly responded by saying they had not furnished their monthly reports in protest against the fact that they had not been paid their salaries for the last five months.

On hearing the response, the medical officer allegedly lost his cool and misbehaved with them.

However, the accused doctor refuted the allegations earlier on Sunday. “I was attacked by these women, who had been threatening me over allocation of quarters,” Dr Behera had said on Sunday.

While Muniguda SDPO Anant Prasad Mallick was investigating the matter, a case under sections 354, 294 and 310 of SC/ST Atrocities Act against the doctor was registered for allegedly attacking the female health workers.