Imphal, October 28, 2009: Normal out patient services in both government and private healthcare centres in Imphal suspended for three hour from 10 am till 1 pm Wednesday as doctors ceased work during the period to take part in the sit-in protest staged in front of their respective healthcare institutes.

Doctors staged the sit-in protest to register strong protest against the murder of their colleague brutally after looting Rs 2 lakh which he withdraw from the bank on October 22 last.

Nurses also joint the sit-in protest of the doctors to show solidarity.

Doctor Huidrom Binodkumar hailing from Yaiskul, Imphal who recently retired from government service as medical superintendent of the state health services was murdered by miscreant(s) by hitting with something blunt weapon.

Family pointed out the killing related with an incident of arrest of a man who demanded money from the doctor sometime back.

Police have arrested one person in connection with the murdered of the doctor.

The alleged accused person was among some persons who police had arrested earlier while trying to extort money from the house of the doctor.

He came out from the jail recently.

At many instances, doctors had and have been receiving harassment and threaten from armed groups but killing of Dr Binodkumar is the first of its kind that claim life of doctor with "intention", Dr A Dwijamani, president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Manipur State Branch.

IMA took the incident seriously and also requested state government to take up appropriate action with regard to case so that such incident does not repeat in future, the president who took part in the sit-in protest staged at RIMS Hospital Complex from 10 am till 1 pm said.

Doctors of RIMS, JN Hospital, private healthcare centres like the Shija Hospital, Imphal Hospital, Raj Polyclinic and others also staged the protest in front of their respective hospitals.

Government run primary health sub-centres also joint the protest.

During the three hour protest, out patient departments of the institutes remained close.

However, other services of the hospitals were not affected by the protest.

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