The nurses of the private hospitals in Thrissur district, under the banner of United Nurses Association (UNA), will strike work on Saturday demanding the arrest of Dr. Alok V.R., the managing director of the Nyle Women’s Children’s Hospital, in Kaiparambu, who allegedly attacked nurses in the hospital. The agitating nurses took out a protest march in Thrissur on Friday.
According to the UNA sources, Dr. Aloke physically assaulted six female nurses, including a pregnant nurse, during a consensus talk on wages that was held by district labour officer on Thursday.
“The doctor kicked on the belly of a pregnant nurse in front of the District Labour Officer. Dr. Aloke should be arrested. If the police fail to arrest him, the strike will be spread across the State,” according to a UNA press release. They also alleged that the doctor made casteist remarks against the nurses.
However, Dr. Aloke and his wife Jitha Aloke refuted the charges and raised a complaint of attack by the nurses. According to the hospital sources, the hospital terminated the service of six unqualified staff from the laboratory and X-ray unit of the hospital after paying all due payments. However, they approached the labour offer.
As the consensus talks failed, the doctor and his wife Dr. Jitha tried to leave the room. The nurses hit him on the chest and scratched him on his face and hands, he alleged.