RIMS OPD, Casualty to close from today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 11 2008: In protest against the abduction of two engineers of RIMS by the proscribed KCP in connection with a demand of Rs 3 crores, OPD and Casualty Ward of the institute will be closed from 8 am tomorrow.

A decision to this effect was adopted during a meeting of RIMS employees held today.

The same decision is in line with its earlier decision adopted during an emergency meeting held yesterday which declared that various modes of agitation will be launched in case the abducted engineers are not freed by 6 pm today.

Family members, relatives and well wishers throng RIMS to demand the release of the two officials

AE Ng Robindro of Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai and SO Y Surjit of Sega Road were abducted from the former's house in the afternoon of December 9 .

Briefing media persons about the line of agitation in the institute's mini auditorium today, RIMS Medical Superintendent Prof Y Mohan said that in case the two engineers are not released even after closure of OPD and Casualty Ward, indoor patients would be told to leave the hospital.

Moreover, a proposal will be sent to the Centre for transfer of RIMS employees outside the State, he disclosed while declaring that RIMS authority would not pay any ransom money.

These decisions were adopted in a joint meeting of the Heads of Departments, Teachers' Welfare Association, Non-Teaching Staff Welfare Association, Junior Doctors' Association and Trained Nurses Association of India, RIMS Branch, Prof Mohan said.

On the other hand, family members and local people of the two abducted engineers gheraoed at the office of RIMS Director Prof L Fimate with a demand that RIMS authority should make arrangements to fulfil the demand of the KCP in order to secure safe release of the engineers.

To this, RIMS authority maintained that they could not pay the demanded amount.

Speaking to reporters, Robita (35), wife of AE Robindro, disclosed that the KCP called up the family repeatedly on telephone asking to urge upon the RIMS authority to give the demanded amount.

They also threatened the families that failure to fulfil the demand will lead to unwanted consequences.

The abductors further said that a demand note was served to the RIMS Director earlier but there has been no response which prompted the outfit to abduct some employees of the institute, Robita conveyed.

She asserted that only RIMS authority should solve the issue.

The demand note signed by KCP's chief project officer cum information and public relations secretary Ibungo Ngangom was served to the RIMS Director in November.