Jharkhand district admin holds search operation in medical college hostels; junior doctor's body condemn

DHANBAD: The Palamu district administration in Jharkhand has conducted a search operation in the hostels of Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) over alleged misconduct by some students, prompting junior doctors' bodies to condemn the action, officials said on Sunday. Medininagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sulochana Meena said the raid was conducted in both the boys' and girls' hostels on Saturday after several complaints were received about the alleged misbehaviour of a few inmates.

"The search operation was conducted based on a tip-off and complaints about alleged misbehaviour by some students for several days. No objectionable material was found in the girls' hostel, while two packets of marijuana and bottles of alcohol were recovered from the boys' hostel," she said. The administration has informed the Narcotics department for further action after the recovery of "illegal substances", another official said.

"However, no arrest has been made in the matter so far. The students of the hostels protested the administrative action," he said.

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Junior doctors termed operation as an 'inappropriate act'

Junior doctors' bodies on Sunday condemned the search operation conducted by the Palamu administration in the girls' hostel. The state body of the Junior Doctors Network (JDN) termed the operation as an "inappropriate act". Owing allegiance to hostel students, JDN president Dr Vikas Kumar said that all doctors' bodies would register protests against the search operation.

"Such a search operation has not been conducted in any girls' hostel of medical colleges of the state. If it had been done by complying rules, we would have supported this. We would protest it strongly," said Kumar, who is also joint secretary of IMA Ranchi. JDN general secretary Dr Raghvendra Kumar said students of all six medical colleges will launch a protest against the alleged "dictatorship" of the Palamu administration.

Faculty members of MMCH also expressed resentment against the search operation in the girls' hostel at night. The senior professors of the medical college said the administration should have taken permission from the principal, before conducting such an action.