Dr. Sudhkar Rao who is an anesthesiologist at Narsipatnam government hospital was suspended last month on disciplinary grounds for alleging the government was not providing an adequate number of PPE kits and N-95 masks to the doctors on COVID-19 duty, is taken into custody on Saturday on the charge of causing a nuisance on the road near the port hospital under the IV Town Police Station limits.
Vishakhapatnam police commissioner, RK Meena, told reporters that the police control room had received a call stating that a person was creating a nuisance on the highway at Akkayyapalem area. He said, the fourth town police rushed to the place and ascertained that the person was Dr. Sudhakar.
“Sudhakar was drunk and shirtless. He was also trying to stop the lorries that were plying on NH-16 near the port hospital. Moreover, he also broke the mobile phone of the traffic constable who tried to stop him. Since he was running, we had to use force and tie his hands to his back with a rope, and shift him to the police station,” said Mr. Meena.
Later, the commissioner announced that the constable who manhandled rudely with the doctor was placed under suspension, pending an inquiry.
Videos of a bare-chested Dr. K Sudhakar, with his hands tied to his back, being kicked by a police constable and floored on the road, went viral on social media.
Meanwhile, doctors’ associations, Dalit groups, leaders of the TDP, and Left parties of the region condemned the police action against the doctor.
In the first week of March, Sudhakar created a flutter by complaining before the media that the government was not providing them adequate N-95 masks and the PPEs meant for doctors were given to politicians and the police.
“We are asked to use the same mask for 15 days before asking for a fresh mask. How can we treat patients risking our lives?” he asked. As the video of his comments went viral in the media, the state government ordered a probe into his allegations and suspended Sudhakar on disciplinary grounds.
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