The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday ordered a probe into the alleged abduction of the chief medical officer (CMO) of Gonda, Dr SP Singh, by minister of state for revenue and rehabilitation Vinod Kumar Singh. The minister and his associates barged into the CMO's residence on Monday night and ordered him to include the names of his aides in the list of contractual doctors recruited by the district health department under the national rural health mission (NRHM) programme.

When Dr Singh said the recruitments had been completed, the furious minister bundled him into his vehicle and took him to the houses of two clerks who were also picked up and taken to the CMO's office to prepare the appointments.

The CMO later informed the district magistrate who sent Dr Singh under police protection to Lucknow, 125 km from Gonda.

Dr Singh refuses to return to Gonda in the prevailing circumstances.

"I fear a threat to my life by the minister and will only join duty when the state government ensures my security as well as that of my family members," he said.

Additional director of health and medical services, Gonda, Dr AK Gangwar said, "I received a leave application of Dr Singh on Tuesday. I am not aware of his whereabouts as he has not registered any complaint. A two-member committee has been constituted to investigate the incident".