Protest on over Birgunj docs' arrest

Raxaul: The doctors, paramedical staff, pharmacists and medicine traders of Narayani zone took out a rally under the banner of Doctor Association in Birgunj on Sunday to protest the arrest of doctors by Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal police for allegedly having fake intermediate exam certificate of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), which is in news for the toppers scam.
The rallyists, led by Dr Pramod Sarraf, reached the office of chief district officer (CDO) Keshav Raj Ghimre and submitted a memorandum. Dr Sarraf, general secretary of Birgunj chapter of Doctor Association said they have demanded the release of all the arrested doctors within 24 hours, failing which they will stop even the emergency services in their clinics and hospitals. "The CDO has assured us to take up or demand with the government," he said.
The government and private doctors besides paramedical staff members are on strike and all the medical shops have been closed at Birgunj town since Friday. A large number of patients are reaching adjoining Raxaul town in Bihar for check-up and medical aid. "The Dancon hospital at Raxaul has become overcrowded with Nepali patients," said a source at Raxaul hospital.
The CIB has arrested 34 practising doctors from Birgunj, Biratnagar, Chitwan, Dhanusha and Kathmandu for allegedly using fake and forged Intermediate marksheets and certificates of BSEB to obtain medical degrees. All the arrested doctors were produced in Kathmandu district court on Sunday and the CIB sought them in remand for further interrogation.
Phiroj Basnet, DSP of CIB, said they launched 'Operation Quake' to arrest the doctors listed by Nepal Medical Council in 22 districts, mostly in Madhes region, from Jhapa to Kanchanpur adjoining India's border. A top CIB official said the Council had received a list of doctors who allegedly have fakeIntermediate and secondary board certificates of Bihar and are registered in Nepal as medical practitioners.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Medical Association held an emergency meeting in Kathmandu and discussed the situation on Sunday. Dr Mukti Ram Shrestha, general secretary of the association, told TOI that they have decided to meet the home minister. "If our concerns were not met, we will be forced to announce protest programme," he said, adding that the association has strong objection to the way the police intimidated doctors on duty in hospitals without following the process of law.