India doctors strike to protest colleague's murder

Medical services were paralyzed across an eastern Indian state on Tuesday by a one-day strike by thousands of doctors demanding better security after one of their colleagues was killed by a group of prisoners.

Bhudeo Singh, a prison doctor in Gopalganj district, was fatally beaten after he refused to issue fake certificates to seven prisoners stating they were too ill to be moved to another jail.

Local police Superintendent K.S. Anupam said the prisoners were resisting the transfer.

More than 10,000 doctors in state-run hospitals and health clinics stayed away from work Tuesday to demand more security for doctors working in dangerous conditions.

The Bihar chapter of the Indian Medical Association supported their demands but did not join the strike.

Health clinics were closed and hospital outpatient departments were deserted. Operations in state-run hospitals were postponed, while nurses and other staff looked after patients who were already admitted.

Bihar is considered India's most lawless state, with criminal gangs kidnapping children, shooting police and extorting protection money from businesses.

The situation has been improving since a new state government took power five years ago.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.