Srinagar: A senior Epidemiologist was allegedly thrashed by CRPF soldiers in Chadoora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday morning.
The victim, Dr Muzaffar Ahmed, who looks after the entire Covid-19 work in Budgam and is a renowned Epidemiologist, said that he was stopped at a barricade by CRPF personnel. “Despite revealing my identity, the troopers hit me with batons, dragged me on the road, kicked my chest and it was only after the intervention of some locals that they left me and I was rushed to District Hospital Budgam. I have suffered bone injuries,” he said.
According to the doctor, he was thrashed in main market Chadoora by CRPF personnel when he was stopped by CRPF to stop public movement.
CMO Budgam, when contacted, said, “Such issue has demoralized our doctors. It was sheer barbarism on part of troopers who even didn’t spare a renowned Epidemiologist like Dr Muzaffar, the way he (doctor) was thrashed is totally unacceptable.”
“The restrictions on our movement could hamper our fight against the coronavirus,” said a doctor, wishing anonymity for fear of reprisal.
He also said that CRPF action has come despite the fact that “most of the hospitals have been converted into coronavirus quarantine and treatment centres” and the “work of routine healthcare treatment was suspended”.
The issue has created quite an uproar on social media in Srinagar and many doctors have been pointing out that this is how frontline workers in Kashmir are being treated by the police.
SSP Budgam Amod Nagpuri said that he will look into the matter.
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