The Lumbini Zonal Hospital (LZH) and more than a dozen private clinics around the hospital remained closed on Wednesday after a mob vandalized them on Tuesday.
The mob claimed that a patient was killed due to a doctor’s negligence. Dr Shree Krishna Giri, who was seriously beaten by the agitators, has been lifted to Kathmandu Model hospital in the capital for treatment. He received injuries in his head and neck. He is out of danger.
The mob had also destroyed four houses of local residents, set ablaze an ambulance and damaged over two dozen private clinics.
Alleging doctors’ negligence behind the death of Deepak Sapkota of Jamuni of Bardiya, the mob, mostly comprising local youths, street children and Maoists resorted to vandalism, according to local media reports.
Dr LD Bhatta and Dr Shreekrishna Giri, who were on duty at the OPD section, had immediately attended Sapkota.
According to LZH sources, Sapkota, who was brought to the hospital in serious condition at around 11 a.m., succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. He was admitted in the emergency ward of the hospital. He was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.
Later in the evening, the mob also burnt down an ambulance belonging to Rotary Club at Media Chowk. The mob also looted medicines and cash from Jyoti Medical at around 7 p.m.
Following Sapkota’s death, irate youths who broke into LZH also mercilessly beat up surgeon Giri while he was attending another patient at the emergency ward.
Fifteen policemen including police inspector Bamdev Gautam were injured when protestors clashed with police at different places.
While the agitators had introduced themselves as Maoist activists, the local Maoist leaders have refuted their involvement in the incident. But Kantipur daily quoted Saroj Thapa, a Maoist guerilla as saying that 20 of their men were deployed during the protest in Butwal.
No family member of the deceased Sapkota was present during the protest.
Meanwhile, condemning the attack on Dr Giri and vandalism on the hospital, the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) demanded strong action against the guilty.
The medical workers in the Kathmandu Model Hospital, in protest of the vandalism, decided to work with black bands on Wednesday and demanded immediate investigation into the incident and action against the culprits.