Sambalpur, Sept. 8: Villagers of Giripali today set ablaze the government-run Themra Health care Centre after a critically-injured road accident victim did not get treatment as there was no doctor present.

Villagers had come to the healthcare centre, located some seven kilometres away from the city, for the treatment of Agasti Sethi, 45. Sethi, a cattle grazer, suffered serious injuries after being hit by a bike.

The motorcyclist, Kishore Panda, 25, died shortly after ramming his motorcycle into a herd of cattle while crossing a road this afternoon.

Shortly after the accident, about 500 people gathered at the spot and rushed a profusely bleeding Agasti to the health care centre. But, no doctor was available there at that time. Non-medical staff, who were present, asked the villagers to rush Agasti to the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar), Burla.

But, the villagers claimed that the staff of the health care centre could not even arrange for an ambulance to take Agasti to Vimsar. The villagers reportedly turned violent after the health centre officials failed to arrange for an ambulance for Agasti. When Agasti's condition started deteriorating, the villagers contacted the district headquarters hospital for an ambulance, but in vain.

Enraged, they ransacked the health centre and set it on fire. A jeep, some medical equipment and furniture were gutted. Hundreds of people also blocked the adjoining road demanding better medical facilities and round-the-clock service of doctors.

Fire brigade officials could not reach the spot on time because of the road blockade. Later, the district administration arranged for an ambulance for Agasti and shifted him to Vimsar. It took the fire service personnel 45 minutes to douse the flames.

"The health care centre is supposed to have three doctors. But, while there is one vacancy at present, the two doctors in service do not stay there. They have been doing private practice in Sambalpur town. Local residents have been complaining about the absence of doctors here for quite some time. Today's incident was just a violent expression of the people's anguish," said a villager.

Sub-divisional police officer B.G. Mohanty said: "The people set the hospital on fire alleging absence of the doctors. At least three rooms of the hospital have been damaged. However, the situation is under control now. Police forces have been deployed at Themra to maintain law and order."

Chief district medical officer Kodanda Rao admitted the lapse on the part of the two doctors who were not in duty. "We are probing the incident," he said.