Senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC, who reached Jumla to stage a hunger strike at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, began his indefinite fast at the District Police Office, where he was detained on Saturday.

Dr KC was on his way to the Jumla Teaching Hospital when he was stopped by police. He was caught at the District Administration Office (DAO) before he was able to stage his fast there.

Police charged KC’s supporters with batons for getting into the prohibited DAO area. Two of his supporters were injured in the incident. The DAO had declared the DAO premises a prohibited zone to foil Dr KC’s plan.

The crusader had flown to Jumla to protest alterations in the Medical Education Ordinance with the Replacement Bill registered in the Parliament Secretariat on Friday. He has also objected to the delays in setting up the infrastructure and human resource for admitting MBBS students to the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences and sluggish progress made by the Geta Medical College, Dhangadhi.

Dr KC has staged numerous hunger strikes to fight for the provisions of the ordinance. He has demanded passage of the ordinance immediately without changes except for the clause on service period after the master’s level of medical education.

KC has pressed the government to establish medical colleges in Doti and Udaypur districts. He also demanded that the government withdraw its decision to bar protests at Maitighar Mandala.