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Monday, May 16, 2005

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Extortion threats haunt Bihar doctors again

Initial euphoria about President's Rule is fading

PATNA: After a brief respite in the initial days of President's Rule, fear of extortionist gangs seems to have returned to haunt Bihar doctors forcing them to knock the doors of Governor Buta Singh and state police chief for enhanced security.

"We are extremely worried over the deteriorating situation. Doctors were breathing easy after President's Rule was imposed in Bihar on March 7. But recurrence of threats from extortionists have made us apprehensive again," Indian Medical Association (Bihar) President G.K. Thakur said here.

IMA Vice-President Sahajanand Singh echoed Thakur's views saying doctors are a disturbed lot once again.

"We were happy during the initial days of Central rule as no extortion demands were being made. However, our happiness proved shortlived and we realised that threats from kidnappers and extortionists still continue. The dark days have returned," he said.

Angry over four cases of extortionists' threats to leading doctors in Bihar in April and May -- two in Patna, one each in Bhagalpur and Ara -- the IMA petitioned Buta Singh and Director General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha for enhanced security for the medical fraternity.

Sharing the doctors' concerns, the State police chief assured them of prompt action.

Reports from districts show the doctors' initial euphoria about President's Rule is fast fading. Sahajanand Singh said imposition of Central rule had given confidence to the doctors who were preparing to leave the state due to bad law and order. "Unfortunately many of us who had decided to stay in Bihar are having a rethink as extortionists, after lying low for a brief period, have once again started to target us."

Besides, many doctors, who had left the State in the past due to threats from gangsters and who were planning to return following improvement in law and order under President's Rule, have also put on hold their plans, he said.

Bad days

The months preceding imposition of President's Rule were bad for the medical community in Bihar. According to IMA figures, six doctors were killed for refusing to pay extortion money last year. Besides, over 30 doctors were kidnapped for ransom.

Angry over the situation, the IMA had filed a PIL in the Patna High Court seeking adequate security and also held protest march.

"We are sensitive to the problem faced by the medical fraternity from the criminal elements," Sinha said adding, top priority was being accorded to providing security to doctors who were the "lifeline" of the society. Sahajanand, Thakur and a few others felt that withdrawal of security guards of many doctors by the state administration had made them "easy targets" of anti-social elements.

Police refute charge

The police establishment, however, refutes the charge.

"On many occasions, we have found during investigation that the alleged extortion demands to doctors were false. In several cases, disputes over property and personal enmity led the doctors to seek security though they said they faced threats from extortionists," DIG (Patna range) Ram Parvesh Singh said.

He said the latest complaint of extortion threats to a leading paediatrician Dr. Sunil Kumar turned out to be "false" and the matter actually related to a dispute over property.

Doctors hide identity

The medical practitioners have adopted a more "protective" way of life cutting short their professional engagements and avoiding outings at the night. Doctors attending patients in their clinics with security guards standing on doors are a common scene across the State. Many doctors have erased the Red Cross sign from their vehicles to hide their identity. They also avoid attending telephone calls without ascertaining the identity of the callers on their ID-caller telephone.

Nalini Ranjan Singh, former district IMA president of Begusarai, said doctors of the district have stopped attending clinics outside the district.

Leading physician of East Champaran district J.N. Gupta said doctors of his district have stopped entertaining private calls at night. They attend mobile calls only after confirming the identity of the callers.

Chandralata Jha, leading gynaecologist of Motihari, whose house was raided by anti-socials last year, said, "I avoid attending even social functions at night."

The state police chief said patrolling has been intensified across the state and district police chiefs have been directed to effectively curb the crime rate.

The district police have prepared a list of telephone numbers of all such criminals. -- PTI

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Extortion threats haunt Bihar doctors again