Protest by nurses in Jaffna enforces arrest of Sinhala doctor suspected in murder

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 July 2010, 13:10 GMT]
Hundreds of family consultant nurses, public health officers, midwives and other health service employees picketed Jaffna Public Health Service (PHS) office from Tuesday early morning and agitated demanding immediate investigation into the killing of Tharsika, a family consultant nurse, found hung inside Veala’nai government hospital Saturday morning. The agitators further demanded the immediate arrest of the Sinhala doctor alleged of killing Tharsika. Police was forced to arrest the Sinhala doctor who was transferred on the instruction of the Sri Lanka Army officials. The doctor, who was kept in the safety in Regional Health Service Director’s office in Jaffna, was produced in Oorkaavattu’rai courts Tuesday.



The picketers had closed the main entrance to the Jaffna PHS office from Tuesday morning preventing the employees from entering the office.

A team of key officials from the Health Department in Colombo rushed to Jaffna and inquired into the grievances of the protesters.

The protesters ended their agitation on the assurances given by the Health Department officials that legal action will be taken on the suspect and due investigations will be made.

The picketing and agitation had brought health service in Jaffna peninsula to a stand still.

The Judicial Medical Officer’s report rules out suicide of the nurse.



Chronology: