Kanpur:
Uttar Pradesh today said thousands of doctors on strike over a clash with a ruling Samajwadi party lawmaker can be prosecuted if they don't return to work, under a law on maintaining critical services.
The doctors have been on strike since Friday, when their comrades at a government hospital were allegedly beaten and dragged by policemen after a confrontation with Samajwadi Party legislator Irfan Solanki. The protests have crippled medical services in the state.
Here are the top 10 developments in the story:
37 people have died across the state since last weekend, reportedly due to lack of treatment.
The Allahabad High Court today stepped in and ordered the transfer of Kanpur top cop Yashaswi Yadav, blamed for the police crackdown on doctors.
Yashaswi Yadav had justified the police action, saying the doctors were vandalising the Samajwadi Party legislator's car. "Yes, we beat up the doctors, that was the need of the hour. Had the police not intervened there would have been rioting," he told NDTV yesterday.
The court today asked the doctors to end their strike but doctors have refused to budge and demanded action against Samajwadi Party legislator Irfan Solanki.
200 government doctors resigned in Agra yesterday, in solidarity with their colleagues in Kanpur.
On Friday night, Mr Solanki and his supporters allegedly accused doctors at Kanpur's Halet hospital of mistreating a patient. In the violence that erupted, the police used batons. 24 doctors were arrested. Their colleagues point out that no action was taken against the politician and his supporters.
The arrested doctors were granted bail on Monday morning. Government officials say the cases against them cannot be withdrawn till the investigation is completed.
The protests have reached the capital where a candle light march was held at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS on Monday. Around 400 doctors participated in the march.
The Indian Medical Association has also back the doctors and submitted a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Mr Solanki has said he would "resign" if any evidence is found against him.
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