Guwahati/Kokrajhar, Dec. 12: Dispur today promised tough measures to restore law and order in Kokrajhar district and within hours of the assurance, replaced P.K. Dutta with Jitmol Doley as the Kokrajhar superintendent of police.
While Dutta was handed over charge of the Darrang-based 3rd Assam Police Task Force, Sivasagar additional superintendent of police S. Kumar was handed over the post left vacant by Doley — superintendent of police, Morigaon.
The government’s action came in the wake of a rally by All Bodo Student’s Union (Absu) demanding restoration of law and order in Kokrajhar district and transfer of the superintendent of police.
The exodus of 30 doctors working at the Rupnath Brahma Civil Hospital to safer grounds following an alleged extortion threat by NDFB’s Ranjan Daimary faction has created a furore in the district headquarters and left many patients in the lurch.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, while promising “tough action” in the district, said today, “Some doctors were asked to pay and there was panic. We are sure the situation will return to normality within a couple of days. We have engaged doctors to tide over emergencies,” Gogoi said.
Altogether 13 doctors, including five retired ones, are trying into fill in the shoes of the 30 that have left the civil hospital.
Gogoi admitted that extortion and kidnapping cases had been reported from several districts, including Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, involving criminals and acquaintances of militants. “The government is concerned and has issued instructions to the police and civil administration to take necessary measures and remain on high alert,” he said.
Sources said Dutta’s transfer was routine, as he had completed his two-and-a-half year tenure and had himself wanted out, having grown “weary” of being involved in counter-insurgency operations.
The anti-talks NDFB is involved in the extortion bid, they said, an allegation that was denied by the outfit yesterday.
The situation at the hospital improved slightly today with the arrival of five doctors from Guwahati and five retired doctors coming to render their services in the absence of doctors of the hospital.
“We have 13 doctors, including five from Guwahati, who are here for three days. Five retired doctors from the town have also come forward, besides three others including the director and I,” said BTC health department joint director Dr A.M. Rabha.
Rabha said the hospital was yet to receive any communication from the regular doctors. “We are yet to hear from them. But we have heard that they are ready to attend their duty, provided the administration provides full security,” he said.
An anonymous call was received on Friday evening with the caller demanding Rs 1 lakh from each doctor working at the hospital within 24 hours, failing which the caller warned of dire consequences.
Another call was received the next day, following which the doctors decided to stay away from work, leaving the patients high and dry.
The 200-bed hospital now has 17 patients. “Two new patients were admitted today,” said a nurse at the male ward.
Another nurse said though there were 23 patients, with 18 in the maternity ward, till yesterday, some maternity ward patients had been discharged by the new doctors.
Former Rajya Sabha MP U.G. Brahma said a weak state government and BTC administration had allowed militant outfits to call the shots in the district.
The Bodo Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary Bodo organisation, too, voiced its concern over the lawlessness in the region and the police administration turning a blind eye to the situation.
“We sometimes doubt if there is any administration. How can there be so much lawlessness under the very nose of the police?” Bodo Sahitya Sabha president Kameswar Brahma said at a news conference in Kokrajhar today.
