10 injured in clash between Manipal College staff and police

Kathmandu, Apr. 2

At least three staff members of Manipal College of Medical Sciences and seven police personnel were seriously injured when the two sides clashed with each other Monday afternoon on the premises of the college in Pokhara Metropolitan City of Kaski district.

Doctors and other staff of the hospital are into their 10^th day of sit-in protest. 

They have been organising various protest programmes demanding fulfilment of their demands, which include payment of 10 per cent of their salary as house rent, additional allowances for the in-charge and permanent appointment of employees who have been working in the hospital on contract and temporary basis for long. 

The last protest took place about six months ago. 

"We were holding our protest programmes peacefully when the police intervened and used force. We have for long been trying for collective bargaining with the hospital management, but they have never listened to our demands. Multiple meetings and dialogue have been held with the management but in vain," said president of the All Nepal Health Workers' Union Sher Bahadur Shahi. 

He said that the police arrested 20 staff members from the sit-in venue. All of them are now in the custody in the District Police Office, Kaski. 

But the police said that it used force after the protesters pelted stones at the police personnel.  

Manipal Unit of Nepal Health Workers Employee Union, All Nepal Health Workers Union and Nepal Independent Workers Union have issued a joint press statement denouncing the police act and arrest of the health workers.

They have urged the college administration to take initiatives to resolve the issue at the earliest by fulfilling the demands of the workers. 

The hospital administration refused to make any comment on the incident and the protest of its workers. A senior official said that only the Chief Executive Officer would talk to the media. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 April 2018.