Dr Omar Salim, who was taken away by the police on Monday, 26 August, after he mentioned that Kashmir was facing health crisis, was released an hour later, according to Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Yasir Qadri.
Speaking to The Quint, Qadri said that he could have been arrested as per the law but he was let off after an hour.
“We brought him to police station for violating Section 144. He was left after an hour. No criminal charges were pressed. Government officers are not meant to protest. He was told to write to the principal of medical college. She’ll write to the Governor.”Yasir Qadri, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)
Salim, who works as a urologist at Government Medical College in Srinagar, was whisked away in a police vehicle to an unknown location after he spoke to the media for about ten minutes.
He was holding a ‘request’ placard, and had told the media that as a result of the clampdown, patients specifically those who are patients of dialysis and chemotherapy, were finding it difficult to travel to get themselves treated.
‘Patients Suffering Due to Clampdown’
Salim told BBC Urdu that patients registered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme are unable to enjoy the benefits of the scheme, citing restrictions imposed on internet and landline connections as the reason. He said the treatment that is offered for free as a part of the scheme, is being paid for by patients.
Explaining the link between internet access and the scheme, he said that the entire process relies on internet as it is based on smart cards which are swiped and consequently, the details of the patients are checked on the system.
On 5 August, the Modi-led government had abrogated Article 370 which gives special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir following which curfew was imposed in J&K. While restrictions have been eased in Jammu, the situation is not the same in most parts of Kashmir.
(With inputs from Ahmed Ali Fayyaz)
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