THATTA, July 9: Doctors and paramedics of the Makli Civil Hospital observed strike on Monday in protest against manhandling of a hospital staffer by a union council nazim. Reports said that the Kalri UC Nazim Mehtab Shah Shirazi beat up the hospital’s blood bank technician, Mahadev, after he declined to provide him blood for a patient.

He flew into a rage after Mr Mahadev told him that he should arrange for a donor as the hospital had no blood in store. He then forcibly took away two pints of blood meant for other patients after manhandling the technician.

The doctors and paramedics staff locked wards, laboratory and diagnostic centre in protest against the incident and observed a strike.

They told journalists that they were feeling increasingly insecure in the hospital because it was the second incident of violence against one of their colleagues. A few days ago some persons had manhandled Dr Khaliq, they said.

They said that they would observe an hour’s token strike every day till their security was ensured and action was taken against the culprits.

LOOTED: A large number of devotees of Abdullah Shah Ashabi who had come from Karachi to Thatta to visit the saint’s shrine were deprived of cash, mobile phones and valuable belongings late on Sunday night.

Reports reaching here said that armed bandits looted the devotees at gunpoint as soon as they reached the shrine. Police chased the culprits and arrested three of them who were identified as Zubair Palijo, Javed Manchhri, Ghulam Mustafa Manchhri, sources in police said. Police also claimed to have found a TT pistol, a repeater and a motorcycle in their possession. One accomplice managed to escape, the sources said.