By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Srinagar: The Doctors Association of Kashmir has strongly objected to the firing incident inside the district hospital in Shopian by the Police on Sunday, April 1 when the Valley witnessed the death of 13 militants, 4 civilians, and 3 army men.
“It is a matter of great shame that police personnel resorted to indiscriminate firing inside the premises of district hospital when they barged into the hospital to retrieve a dead body, Dr Suhail Naik, President Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) said in a statement.
He said that in addition to this dastardly act, forces also damaged the hospital property.
“It is sheer luck that none of the staff was injured or killed in this incident. Doctors and other staff are still in a state of mental shock and are not able to deliver their duties effectively since this unfortunate incident,” he said.
Dr Naik further said “according to Geneva Convention, in the war zones hospitals and ambulances are spared but it is very unfortunate these rules are thrown in the trash in this part of the world and we are at the receiving end by making us easy targets. Police, the law protectors are acting as law damages by resorting to such type of hooliganism.”
Jammu and Kashmir Doctors Coordination Committee also expressed dismay and expressed concern over the conditions in which the doctors have to work.
DAK stressed upon the Director General of Police, SP Vaid to intervene in this grave issue and issue an advisory to his men for proper behaviour with hospital staff so that doctors can deliver their duties fearlessly and with confidence.
“If immediate steps are not taken, we would be forced to take extreme steps which will be detrimental to state health care and the whole onus will lie with the government,” they said.
“Forces entering a hospital and firing is the most undemocratic thing to happen in any democratic country. No one is being held accountable for such actions and it is the reasons why it happens time and again. Today it is in Shopian. Tomorrow it can be in Srinagar or some other district,” a doctor who is posted at SMHS hospital in Srinagar and wished to stay anonymous told TwoCircles.net.
In July 2016, human rights watchdog Amnesty International, while terming attacks on health facilities or medical professionals unacceptable, had called for the persecution of those involved.