Burla: Normal life came to a grinding halt at Burla in Sambalpur district Monday due to a 12-hour bandh called by the Burla Sachetana Nagarika Manch to protest against the state government’s action against the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) Director Dr Aswini Kumar Pujahari for his alleged unethical clinical practices.
While traffic movement in Burla was disrupted, educational institutions, offices and banks remained closed.
Scores of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road. The agitators staged road blockade at various places by burning tyres.
The manch demanded the re-appointment of Pujahari as the director of VIMSAR.
Police forces have been deployed in the locality in a bid to avoid any untoward incident.
The government had asked Pujahari to go on leave December 7. He was also served a show-cause notice and directed to remain on leave till his reply is received and disposed by the government.
The government’s move came in the wake of cease-work agitation by the Junior Doctors’ Association of VIMSAR.
Besides, there was a complaint against the director that he had allegedly conducted experimental surgeries on poor and destitute patients using salt as hypertonic saline which contained low sodium.
The government has appointed Dr Prakash Chandra Mohapatra, Director of Regional Spinal Injury Centre in Cuttack, as VIMSAR director in-charge.
Earlier, the JDA claimed that a cancer patient of Chhattisgarh, whose surgery was conducted by Pujahari using table salt at the affected place, had died. The doctor, however, refuted it.
Apart from being asked to reply to the show-cause in three days, Pujahari has also been asked to submit the probe reports against him.
PNN