AIIMS nurses on hunger strike, seek action those involved in attack on association prez

Bhubaneswar: Nursing officers of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar went on a hunger strike on Wednesday, demanding action against the people allegedly involved in the attack on their nurses’ association president P Ramesh on April 10.

They suspected the alleged involvement of a staff member of the institute.Ramesh was injured after being allegedly attacked by six unidentified miscreants at Patrapada in the city around 4.30 pm on April 10. A complaint was lodged at Khandagiri police station on the same day. Two people involved in the attack were arrested on Monday, even as further investigation is underway, police said.The association members, however, said had the miscreants attacked Ramesh to rob him, they would have taken a brand-new costly mobile phone and cash from him.

“But they did not take anything from him. We suspect a staff member from our institution might be involved. We want action against the person,” said Manubala Jena, general secretary of the association.She added they have been requesting the authorities of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar to take necessary steps in the matter, but it did not respond to their demand. “We held a rally on the hospital premises protesting the attack, but to no avail. So, we decided to go on a hunger strike, demanding justice for our president,” she said, threatening if the institution authorities do not act promptly in this matter, the nursing staff would stop non-essential services in the hospital.AIIMS-Bhubaneswar executive director Ashutosh Biswas did not comment on this matter. The institution is yet to issue any statement.