Doctor manhandled police officer, case registered against him: SSP Srinagar

Srinagar: A senior interventional cardiologist at SMHS Hospital here, Dr Syed Maqbool, was allegedly hit in the stomach with a cane by a policeman in Hawal area and then lodged at police station Zadibal for the entire day on Saturday. Dr Maqbool said that the Station House Officer (SHO) of Zadibal police station took him to the police station and the first thing he did there was to snatch his phone.

Dr Maqbool told KNO that he was stopped at Hawal area of downtown Srinagar when he was on way to SMHS Hospital. “I was stopped by a cop and asked to go through an alternate route, where there was a huge traffic mess. I requested the policeman to allow me to take the different route, showed him my identity card, and pleaded before him repeatedly, but he refused,” Dr Maqbool said. “When I disembarked from my vehicle, the policeman hit my stomach with the plastic cane in his hand.”

Dr Maqbool said he requested the policeman to let him talk to his senior. The policeman called the SHO of the Zadibal police station. “I told the SHO that I was on call (had to attend to a patient) and being an interventional cardiologist I needed to inform the principal of Government Medical College (GMC) so that an alternate arrangement could be made,” Dr Maqbool said. He alleged that the SHO did not allow him to use his phone and instead “warned him of consequences.”

Dr Maqbool said that he was kept at police station Zadibal for many hours and was warned by the SHO that he shouldn’t tell about his lodgment at the police station to anybody.

Dr Irfan, senior cardiologist at SMHS hospital, said that the ill treatment meted out to Dr Maqbool was unfortunate. “We are part of essential services and can’t always call the hospital to send ambulances to ferry us. We have to travel in our private vehicles, too. We request Deputy Commissioner Srinagar to clarify if we need passes to travel or our cards are enough. If our identity cards are enough, then we should be allowed to reach our hospitals hassle free.”

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mugal said that it was Dr Maqbool who manhandled the SHO. “A case has been registered against the doctor,” he said.

The SSP added that he has directed the SP Hazratbal to inquire into the alleged physical assault on the senior cardiologist. “I have asked SP Hazratbal to look into the issue and submit a report,” Dr Haseeb told news agency KNO.

Reader correspondent