BERHAMPUR: The Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Purushottampur in Ganjam district was ransacked by an angry mob on Wednesday night following an accident in which three persons were killed.

A minibus from Berhampur to Polasara collided head-on with a tractor in the evening. Three persons, including a woman and her son, died on the spot. When people reached the PHC carrying the 15 seriously injured persons, there was none there to extend medical aid.

Furniture torched

Though the injured persons were shifted to MKCG Medical College, lack of doctors at the PHC irked the people. They then ransacked the PHC and torched the furniture and files. They also pelted stones at the office of the local Notified Area Council (NAC) and blocked road by putting across burning tyres.

District Collector Sanjay Singh and Ganjam SP R.K. Sharma rushed to the spot to pacify the mob. The mob relented only after securing a promise from officials that the vacancies at the PHC would be filled immediately.

The PHC had staff strength of two doctors and two nurses. One doctor was on maternity leave and the other was a retired doctor posted on contract basis. A cancer patient himself, the aged doctor was not in a position to remain at the PHC for long hours.

Fix timings

The inhabitants of Purushottampur also urged the Road Transport Officer (RTO) to fix timings for minibuses plying between Berhampur and Polasara as accidents had been occurring on this route quite often due to competition between minibuses.

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