Resident doctors' stir: Delhi Police says no force used as protesters seek apology

FORDA, the resident doctors association of government-run hospitals in Delhi, said the protesters were manhandled, dragged and detained during a “peaceful” protest on Monday.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday issued a clarification regarding the alleged brutality on resident doctors’ during a protest in the national capital. It said there was no lathi (or baton) charge on protesters. In a press briefing, additional commissioner (Central Range) Suman Goyal said a few policemen were, on the other hand, injured and some of the department’s vehicles were damaged.

Resident doctors held a protest march in New Delhi against the repeated postponement of the NEET-PG 2021 counselling.

The protesting doctors, who held a meeting with Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya earlier in the evening, have demanded an apology over Monday evening’s development.

Goyal said, “Some doctors jammed the ITO junction around 9:30am while protesting yesterday. They wanted to march towards the Supreme Court regarding their demands (over delay in NEET-PG counselling) but were stopped.”

“ADGP and director general of health services, Nirman Bhawan, came to discuss the demands. But the ITO junction still remained blocked. Protesting doctors again wanted to march towards the SC. As a preventive measure, some doctors were detained,” she said, adding there was no “mishandling and use of force” as claimed by the doctors.

Watch | Delhi resident doctors face-off with police over NEET-PG 2021 counselling

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), representing the protesting doctors, has raised allegations of "police brutality" and called the same a "black day in the history of the medical fraternity". It said peacefully protesting resident doctors were "brutally thrashed, dragged and detained by the cops".

Goyal said, “The doctors claimed mishandling and use of force. I would like to clarify that no force/lathi charge was used. Delhi Police has the highest regard for doctors. Few policemen got injured. Some police vehicles were also damaged.”

The Delhi Police has registered a first information report (FIR) under several sections for causing obstruction in the duty of police personnel and damaging public property.

The protesting doctors are yet to decide on withdrawing their agitation as requested by Mandaviya. They will hold talks among themselves later in the evening to decide on the next course of action.