Calcutta, May 24: Services at the outpatient department of the Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta, were severely hit as a section of interns started a relay hunger strike and ceasework.

The authorities claimed there was no disruption in services, but several patients said they were harassed.

Sukhen Boral, 23, of Ahiritola, who was hurt after falling from a ladder, said: “I waited for three hours for a doctor.”

With no junior doctor assisting seniors, there were long queues in front of the OPDs.

Fatema Bibi, 45, waited for a couple of hours in front of the medicine OPD and returned home to Rajabazar. “The OPD staff said the doctors were on strike and no one will be available,” Fatema said.

The Medical College Democratic Students’ Association had called the strike after a clash with SFI supporters in the main hostel yesterday. The fight was over who were the hostel’s legal boarders.

The authorities had ordered all students out of the hostel after the clashes. All boarders, who are supporters of the association, spent the night at the common room. “We won’t leave the campus,” said Ratul Banerjee, its convener.

The college authorities have set up a peace committee, which would meet on Monday. “We had appealed to the students to withdraw their hunger strike till Monday but they did not respond,” said P.K. Dasgupta, dean, students’ affairs.

“However, services weren’t affected,” he added.