CMO Bandipora loses cool after police 'stop' his vehicle

His car got stuck in traffic jam, wasn’t stopped: SSP

Chief Medical Officer Bandipora was on Tuesday allegedly stopped by police when he was on way to perform his duty.

A video has gone viral on the internet in which the CMO DrTajamulHussain is seen shouting at policemen after his official vehicle was stopped.

The video shows DrHussain questioning why his vehicle was stopped while he was on way to perform his duty.

“Don’t you see this is the official vehicle of CMO. Entire health system will collapse if you will start treating health officials like this. We are working on frontline to save lives of people and you people are creating hurdle for us by not allowing us to perform our duties,” the CMO Bandipora is seen shouting at the policemen at a naka on the road.

The CMO while narrating the incident said he left in his official vehicle to take stock of the situation in various quarantine centres besides sample collection process.

He said at Natoosa, where a barricade had been set-up, the policemen stopped his vehicle and did not allow him to move forward. “Despite seeing the official vehicle of health department with Chief Medical Officer inside it, my vehicle was not allowed to move forward. Why will health officials be not allowed to perform their duty when entire world is struggling with COVID19 pandemic,” said DrHussain.

He said doctors and health officials were working on the frontline to safeguard lives of people. “If they are prevented to perform their duties despite risk, adversities and challenges they are facing on daily basis while dealing with the pandemic, then their moral will get lowered and it will be disadvantageous for all,” he said.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Bandipora, Rahul Malik, said the barricades were placed on the road to stop the movement of vehicles, on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Bandipora. He said the official vehicle of the CMO had got stuck in the traffic jam. “However, the Chief Medical Officer came out of the vehicle and start shouting.  He was not stopped, neither was he asked to take any other route. He himself got out of the vehicle and seeing several vehicles stuck he started shouting at the police,” said the SSP.