The vigilance of citizens and the quick response of journalists prevented the theft of an ultrasound machine from a public health facility in Mirpur Mathelo on Tuesday morning.
The journalists of the area said that the head clerk of the Civil Hospital, Muneer Chadhar, was caught red-handed while trying to steal an ultrasound machine from the medical facility. They alleged that he was going to take the piece of equipment to the Bhittai Medical Centre, which is a private health facility. Chadhar was spotted while he was trying to surreptitiously slip out of the hospital with the machine. The person who saw him informed a local journalist, who immediately gathered some of his colleagues as well as members of the Shahree Ittehad and headed over to the Civil Hospital.
By the time the journalists and citizens reached the medical facility, Chadhar was already driving away in his car. They chased him and managed to stop his vehicle near the Bhittai Medical Centre. The citizens and journalists then surrounded his car and started taking pictures and filming videos of the ultrasound machine in Chadhar’s car. A group of men armed with wooden sticks then emerged from the Bhittai Medical Centre and started beating the crowd surrounding the vehicle. As a result, five people, including two journalists, were injured. Taking advantage of the scuffle, Chadhar sped off in his car.
Later on, citizens and journalists staged a protest outside the Mirpur Mathelo police station and demanded that an FIR be registered against Chadhar as well as the armed men. The SHO registered a case against nine people, including Chadhar. But no arrests have been made yet.
When contacted, the medical superintendent Civil Hospital, Shahabuddin Shaikh, denied the incident and said that the ultrasound machine was still at the medical facility.
He said that Chadhar might have enmity with some people, who are leveling false charges of theft against him. However, the journalists said that Chadhar probably returned the ultrasound machine during the time that the fight was going on outside the Bhittai Medical Centre.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2012.
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