UP doctor suspended for solo march in Wangchuk's support

A three-member committee has been constituted by the doctor's college to look into the incident

A junior resident at Maharaja Suhel Dev State Medical College, Bahraich, has been suspended for allegedly violating service conduct rules by organising a solo march in support of social activist Sonam Wangchuk. The college has also constituted a three-member committee to investigate the incident.

A junior resident at Bahraich hospital was suspended after organising a solo march in support of social activist Sonam Wangchuk. (Reuters)

Officials said Dr Rupak Ikhe, a native of Amravati in Maharashtra and a junior resident in the Department of Anaesthesia, staged the march on Friday. Wearing a T-shirt carrying a message supporting Wangchuk and holding a placard, he walked from Digiha T-junction to the district magistrate’s residence. A video of the march later went viral on social media.

In the video, Dr Ikhe says he supports Wangchuk’s campaign but is not affiliated with any political party. He says he invited no one to join him and undertook the march alone, guided by his conscience. Taking cognisance of the video, principal Dr Sanjay Khatri ordered Dr Ikhe’s suspension and appointed a three-member inquiry committee. He said indiscipline by staff or resident doctors would not be tolerated and that further action would follow the committee’s findings.