At least 25 doctors serving in different government hospitals in Kathmandu Valley were arrested while staging a protest in front of the Ministry of Health and Population on Sunday.

Police also charged the protesters with batons in which three doctors were injured, according to Dr Dipendra Pandey, chairman of the Government Doctors ‘Association of Nepal (GODAN). He said all the three injured returned home after treatment.

Pandey also decried police intervention in a peaceful protest. Doctors serving at government hospitals have demanded that they should be kept under the federal government.

Pandey said they were forced to protest in front of the ministry, arguing that officials did not show concern about implementing the agreements signed with the agitating doctors a month ago. He complained that the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration had been working to finalise the adjustment of government staff within this week and that the Health Ministry had not shown any interest in addressing the doctors’ demands.

GODAN said that doctors serving in government health institutions were ready to work anywhere decided by the ministry but they should be posted under the federal government.

All the doctors were released in the evening.

Meanwhile, Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella organisation of medical doctors, warned of strong protests if the agitating doctors’ concerns were ignored. In a statement on Sunday, NMA General Secretary Dr Lochan Karki also condemned the police intervention.