Residents of Burla protest on street. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, July 14: Tension is brewing in Burla after a postgraduate medical student was manhandled inside the Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital by a group of people led by a leader of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) yesterday afternoon. The medical college’s students then allegedly beat up the BJD leader and his associates.

The students are reportedly angry and upset with the incident that took place on the medical college premises. They have been demanding proper security for the college and the hospital. On the other hand, some local people have observed a bandh today demanding action against the students who had indulged in violence.

Sources said trouble erupted after Sujata, a resident of Burla, admitted to the gynaecology ward in the V.S.S. Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday, delivered twin daughters yesterday. One of the babies died even after being put into the intensive care unit in the hospital’s neo-natal department. The other newborn was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital’s paediatric department.

In the afternoon, Sisir Dandia, president of the Burla BJD unit, Debendra Pradhan, vice-chairman of Burla Notified Area Council, and Rinku Sahu, a local resident, went to the paediatric ward to meet the patient. There, the three allegedly had an argument with a postgraduate medical student accusing the authorities of neglecting the patient. Then they allegedly manhandled the student. Following the incident, students of the college attacked the three persons and allegedly also beat them up.

After the incident, BJD workers, along with some citizens of Burla, blocked the town’s road at PG Chowk last evening demanding action against the medical college’s students. They had also decided to call for a city bandh today. However, the bandh was called off later at night but due to some confusion many people were not aware of this decision.

Chandrabati Naik, chairperson of Burla N.A.C. said: “Late last night the citizen committee decided to call off the bandh but the decision could not be communicated to the local people and, hence, the bandh has partially affected the town.”

“We have stopped all the works of the hospital demanding more security. The district collector and superintendent of police of Sambalpur are supposed to come here in the evening to discuss the matter with us,” said Debiprashad Pradhan, a student of V.S.S. Medical College and Hospital.

“The students have called for ceasework. They also lodged a complaint with the Burla police today,” said Guna Sagar Das, superintendent of the hospital.

“There was an altercation between the students and the outsiders. I informed the matter to the police. Though the police was present there, the altercation between the students and the outsiders could not be controlled. The police should have intervened immediately. Now, the postgraduate students of the medical college have started ceasework,” said Santosh Kumar Behera, principal of the medical college.

“Both the parties have lodged FIRs in our police station,” said Rabindra Kumar Mallick, inspector in-charge of Burla police station.