The doctors of Amnour primary health centre in Saran district have stopped reporting to duty in protest against the alleged assault of some of their peers on October 25 after the death of a woman.

Worse, the health hub in-charge, Dr Birendra Kumar Choudhary, has been allegedly facing threat to his life. He has sought transfer.

Dr Choudhary said the woman, Rekha Devi (27), was referred to Sadar hospital in Chhapra after her condition deteriorated. But her relatives took her to other hospitals and she died. A day on, her relatives allegedly vandalised the Amnour primary health centre and assaulted its doctors.

The doctor said: “Rekha delivered a baby in small hours of October 24. Thereafter, her condition deteriorated. I was in my ward when a hospital employee came to my room informing the same. Immediately, first aid was given to the woman and she was referred to the Sadar hospital in Chhapra. Later, I got to know that instead of going to Chhapra, the family members took Rekha to their home. Thereafter, they took her to a hospital at Marhaura sub-division in Saran district.”

Dr Choudhary said: The doctors posted at Marhaura hospital also referred Rekha to the Sadar hospital in Chhapra, but Rekha’s relatives took her to a private hospital, where again she was referred to the Sadar hospital in Chhapra. As a lot of time was wasted in running from one health hub to another, she died.”

The in-charge of the primary health centre said: “Around 200 persons came to the Amnour primary health centre around 9am on October 25 and started vandalising it. Then they came to my house and broke all the household. I had gone to the police station to lodge an FIR when the mob was frantically searching for me in my house.”

Dr Choudhary, along with his wife and children, went to his brother’s house at Bettiah after the incident. “I did not even go to the hospital after the incident. All the other doctors have also stopped reporting to the duty. There are two permanent doctors at the primary health centre. Three doctors work on contract.”

Dr Choudhary met the principal health secretary, Deepak Kumar, on Monday with Bihar Health Services Association general secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. Dr Ajay said: “The principal secretary asked Dr Choudhary to write an application for transfer.”

The health department spokesperson said the civil surgeon of Chhapra had been directed to depute doctors to the Amnour primary health centre for its functioning.