Patna, June 23 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Patna on Monday as Jan Suraaj party leaders and workers surrounded (Gherao) the residence of Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, demanding his immediate resignation over alleged medical negligence that led to the death of an 11-year-old rape victim from Muzaffarpur’s Kudhni area.

The victim was sexually assaulted by the accused, Mukesh Kumar Rai, on May 25. The victim eventually lost her life on June 1 due to the negligence of PMCH medical staff. The victim waited for four long hours in an ambulance before being admitted to the hospital.

The protest turned intense as a heavy police force was deployed in advance to stop the protestors from reaching the minister’s residence.

When Jan Suraaj workers tried to break the barricades and move closer, the police resorted to lathi charges to disperse the crowd.

The Jan Suraaj blamed the deteriorating health infrastructure and accused the state health department of gross negligence.

In a swift response, the police detained several senior leaders of the Jan Suraaj, including state chief Manoj Bharti, Vice President Lalanji, former MLA Kishore Kumar and several other party workers.

The detained leaders were taken to a nearby police station for questioning and legal processing.

Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj leaders maintained that they will continue their agitation until Health Minister Mangal Pandey resigns.

“The minor girl died because she didn’t get timely treatment at PMCH. This is not just negligence, this is a failure of the entire health system led by Mangal Pandey,” said Manoj Bharti.

The party accused the government of turning a blind eye to recurring tragedies due to healthcare lapses and demanded accountability from the top.

Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, has been vocal in highlighting failures in Bihar’s governance, particularly in the sectors of education, healthcare, and law & order.

–IANS

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