RIMS hospital closed following UG threat
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 24 2011:
Authority of the Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) has closed down its administrative and out-patient department with immediate effect from today noon following a threat from a faction of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP).
Reports said that a man claiming to be a member of the KCP (Noyon), rang up the medical superintendent Prof Dr H Santi Singh asking him to close the OPD and A-Block of the institute warning him of dire consequences if he did not comply.
The threat came around 1 pm and the medical superintendent informed the staff of the institute about the threat posed to the authority.
Fearful of any untoward incidents, the OPD counter in front of which many people had beelined to book tickets for appointments with doctors was immediately closed.
They asked the people to vacate and disperse as if an impending disaster was about to strike the campus.
According to the staff, the caller had threatened them that bombs had already been planted inside the campus.
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Within an hour, the OPD block and the administrative block were emptied and a team of police commandos and IRB personnel detailed at the campus conducted a search operation to ascertain if bombs were fitted at electric switch boards, letter boxes, dustbins, etc.
placed at open places inside the campus.
However, there were no reports of recovery of any explosives from the campus.
But, RIMS authority decided to close down the administrative and OPD blocks as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident.
The closure, however, did not affect the other departments and hospital services of the institute even though it made many OPD patients including those coming from far off areas for treatment go back dissatisfied.
It is said that the threat could have been directed at the director Dr S Sekharjit who has been under the scan of the KCP Noyon group over certain matters.
But this could not be confirmed as the director was not available for comment.
But, Dr Shanti said that the closure of the OPD and the administrative office will continue until the UGs withdraw their threats or full proof security measure is provided inside the campus and the surrounding areas.
The RIMS which was established as a joint venture of the North Eastern States in September 1972 which later was transferred to the Union ministry of Human Resource Development has been under threats from various militant groups, particularly over extortions and award of contract works in their favour whenever various infrastructure developmental works have been taken up to upgradate the institute.
The hospital which provides normal services to more than 2.4 lakh out-door patients and admits over 31 thousand patients in a year, has been facing many closures as a result of threats issued by militants.