Assam: Fast-track court to decide tea garden doctor’s killing

Guwahati: In a significant development, the Assam government has decided for a fast-track court to try cases involving the brutal killing of veteran doctor Deben Dutta by a mob at Teok Tea Estate in Jorhat district on Saturday.

The state government has also instituted an inquiry and asked commissioner and secretary to the department of finance of the state government, Shyam Jagannathan, to inquire into the killing of the doctor, a government press release said on Wednesday.

Moreover, chief minister Sonowal on Wednesday had a telephonic conversation with the widow of the slain doctor. Besides expressing his empathy with bereaved family members, Sonowal also condemned the killing and said that law will take its own course as strict action will be initiated against those who took law in their hands.

Dutta, 73, a senior resident doctor, was beaten to death by garden workers after one of their co-workers died at the hospital. The doctor died while on the way to Jorhat Medical College.

Dr Dutta had retired a long time ago but was serving on extension at the tea estate and is considered to be one of the senior-most doctors in Jorhat.

As a mark of protest, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Assam state branch announced a 24-hour strike in the state on Tuesday.

Five senior doctors working at different tea estates of Assam have already tendered their resignation, reportedly over security reasons.