Manish also alleged that several doctors were “detained” by police force, and taken to police station premises, before being released after some time. He also alleged that “police force was used and many doctors were injured” during their dramatic face-off. However, police denied allegations of lathicharge or use of abusive language from their end, and said, 12 protestors were detained and released later.

In a statement issued later, FORDA said it was a “black day in the history of the medical fraternity”. “Resident doctors, the so-called ‘Corona Warriors’, protesting peacefully to expedite NEET PG Counselling 2021 were brutally thrashed, dragged and detained by the police,” it alleged “There will be complete shutdown of all ,healthcare institutions from today onwards,” the statement said.

In an official statement issued later, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Meena said, on Monday, a group of resident doctors “without having any authorised permission” blocked the BSZ Marg, main road between ITO and Delhi gate, and jammed the traffic for more than six hours”. “They deliberately created nuisance on the main road and blocked both carriageways, causing hardship and harassment to commuters and general public,” he claimed in the statement.

Subsequently, they were “addressed by DG Health” who gave them the assurance of fulfilling their demands, the senior police officer was quoted as saying in the statement. However, they became “aggressive and even after pacifying them, they blocked the road”, he claimed.

“After requesting them again to leave the road, they became aggressive and manhandled our personnel when efforts were made to detain them lawfully. Seven police personnel got injured while detaining them. They also broke the glass of police bus,” he alleged. FIR has been registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code for Covid violations, rioting and damage to public property among others, police said.

Later in the night, a large number of resident doctors gathered outside the Sarojini Nagar police station. But, no one has been detained as of now, police said. However, doctors claimed that a large number of protestors were detained by police when they tried to march from Safdarjung Hospital to the official residence of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. “They are protesting and we are facilitating their protest…they are on a sit-in here. Let them first settle down and then we will initiate talks with them. It’s likely that any immediate meeting could be arranged with officials concerned at night but we are trying are best to sort it out,” a senior police officer from southwest district of the Delhi Police said.