Tension gripped the city after a renowned surgeon was allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants inside a hospital owned by him even as doctors here organised protests today to press their demand for adequate security to them.
Dr A K Bansal, who was allegedly sprayed with bullets while he was inside his chamber at the Jeevan Jyoti multi-speciality hospital situated in a crowded locality of the city, breathed his last around midnight yesterday after battling for life for close to six hours, police said.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Allahabad, Shalabh Mathur, "CCTV footage of the hospital suggests that there were two attackers. They were wearing jackets and jeans and had covered their faces with scarves. Tension prevails in the city following the incident. Further investigation is on."
Meanwhile, OPDs at most private hospitals and nursing homes across the city were affected as specialists attending to these were busy taking part in an emergency meeting convened by the Allahabad Medical Association (AMA).
Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting, AMA president Alok Misra said, "The medical fraternity is saddened over the demise of an accomplished surgeon and angered over the audacity of the attack.
"Doctors must unite now and put pressure on the administrative machinery so that the culprits are brought to book at the earliest and effective measures taken to prevent such instances in future."
City unit of the BJP has also condemned the attack.
Party spokesman Devendra Nath Mishra said, "We are going to submit a memorandum before the District Magistrate demanding swift action against those behind the murder of Dr Bansal.
"The lawlessness that has been prevailing in Uttar Pradesh under the Samajwadi Party rule is for all to see. The people will give a befitting reply to the party in power in the assembly polls."
Significantly, in addition to the hospital, Bansal ran a number of training institutes and charitable trusts in the city.
He was locked in property disputes with the city's notorious land mafia.
He was himself named in a number of cases which included an instance of assault on Income Tax officials who had conducted a raid on his hospital in 2012.
Besides, an advocate had died while undergoing treatment there in 2009 following which fellow lawyers had lodged a murder case against Bansal and other staff of the hospital.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
