Junior doctors sit on an indefinite strike at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College Hospital in Gaya on Monday. Picture by Suman

Jan. 31: A day after his bodyguard opened fire on interns injuring two medicos in the process, controversial RJD MLA Surendra Prasad Yadav went underground even as healthcare across government medical colleges got badly hit with junior doctors going on strike.

The striking junior doctors got a boost when the Bihar branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA) threatened to join the strike if the MLA was not arrested within 72 hours.

Apparently under pressure after junior doctors went on a lightning strike against the incident, Gaya senior superintendent of police Amit Lodha ordered the arrest of the MLA who has criminal antecedents.

Surprisingly, the police did not arrest Surendra Yadav on Sunday evening, when he was present at the time the incident took place. “Raids are being conducted to nab the MLA after FIRs were lodged against him,” said Lodha.

The two bodyguards responsible for the firing, Ashok Kumar and Abhinandan Kumar, were arrested and forwarded to jail after they were placed under suspension, said Lodha. The controversial MLA’s house, located just 100 metres away from the police station, appeared deserted and sealed even as a police jeep stood at its gate.

Surendra Yadav, sources said, went underground on Sunday night itself — ironical for an MLA who is known for flexing his muscles and his proximity to RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

As minister in the Rabri Devi government, Surendra Yadav had to go underground for the illegal confinement of a Patna-based businessman, Atul Prakash. With around one dozen criminal cases against him, Yadav was arrested during the Assembly polls for carrying arms. He still managed to win the polls by a slender margin from Belaganj for the fifth time.

Sunday night’s trouble was triggered off after one pregnant Meena Devi suffering from Hepatitis B was admitted at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College Hospital (ANMMCH) in Gaya earlier in the day. In view of her serious condition, doctors referred her to Patna as the baby in the womb had died. The doctors also asked attendants of the patient to arrange blood for infusion. However, the attendants refused and put pressure on the doctors to carry out the treatment at ANMMCH.

In the meantime, the condition of the patient deteriorated and the attendants called the MLA. This was followed by a verbal duel. A scuffle ensued and the MLA’s bodyguards opened fire on the interns.