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Assam: Doctor suspended over drug lord's escape

December 24, 2008 17:50 IST

The Assam government suspended a registrar of Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Dr Punyadhar Deuri two days after the notorious drug lord, Pakhi Mian alias Samsul Haque Talukdar escaped from judicial custory while he was undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sharma informed that Deuri had been put under suspension pendingĀ  an inquiry to find out his role, if any, in facilitating the escape of the wanted criminal who had managed to drug the policemen guarding him in the hospital ward.

Deuri who had also treated the criminal while he was in Guwahati Jail, recommended shifting of Pakhi Mian to GMCH from the jail for better treatment. The criminal was suffering from diabetes and hernia.

The health minister further informed that from now on a person in judicial custody would have to be recommended by a three-member medical board for admission to any government hospital in the state. He said superintendents of government hospitals would have to constitute a three-member medical board as and when the need arose.

Sharma also informed about the government's plan to upgrade healthcare facilities inside jails for treatment of inmates and in the first phase the health units inside the Guwahati and Dibrugarh jails would be improved.

Meanwhile, the Assam police were clueless about the whereabouts of Talukdar. The police have alerted their counterparts all over the country. The two constables who were guarding the criminal in the hospital ward have been suspended and arrested.

K Anurag in Guwahati