Deepali Kalia –
A local court extended the police custody of 9 key accused by three more day in the doctor assault case in Assam’s Hojai district.
Hojai superintendent of police Barun Purkayastha stated that initially police were allowed to take the accused under custody for 3 days.
“At the end of the granted period, police sought three more days of police custody for the accused from the court. Accordingly, the court extended police custody of the accused for a period of three days which will end on Wednesday.” He further added.
Altogether 28 people have been apprehended in connection with the case.
The case involves an assault on Dr Seuj Kumar Senapati on June 1, the video of which went viral on social media and showed the doctor being assaulted by a group of people, including women following the death of a patient suffering from COVID-19 and pneumonia at Udali Model Hospital in Hojai district.
After the incident on June 1st 24 persons were apprehended. Two more were arrested on the night of 2nd June and again 2 more on 5th June.
“Out of 28, 16 have been sent to jail, nine are in police custody and three others — who claimed to be minors — have been sent to juvenile home.”, the superintendent said. The accused face charges under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Disaster Management Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP) and Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to property) Act.