According to sources, the government doctors will remain on duty during the strike but will wear black badges as a mark of protest. The strike call has been given by the Indian Medical Association demanding action against a police officer who allegedly manhandled the medical superintendent of the Rajkot Civil Hospital during the civic body’s search operation on Saturday.

The call was announced a day after over 50 kg biomedical waste was recovered from the terrace of the Rajkot Civil Hospital. The search operations led to a conflict involving the vigilance officer of the RMC, Police Inspector P I Godhania and Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr R B Deshmukh.

The strike besides causing inconvenience to a large number of patients is also likely to affect the ongoing drive against the improper disposal of biomedical waste.

The corporation has so far slapped fine notices on nearly 60 doctors after recovering a huge quantity of biomedical waste from godowns on the outskirts of the city and even the terrace of a government hospital. The doctors have been asked to pay Rs 10,000 each for improper disposal of the biomedical waste.

“We have decided to go ahead with the strike on Monday,” said Dr Atul Pandya, the President of the IMA, Rajkot. When asked about the effect of the strike on patients, Pandya said, “The authorities harassing doctors should think about it.”

On late Saturday night, IMA members submitted a memorandum at Police Commissioner Geetha Johri’s office. They criticised the alleged manhandling of Dr Deshmukh, a government doctor.

Pandya said arrangements will be made to treat all emergency cases at one place. However, till Sunday evening the IMA could not finalise the place for the purpose. “We will decide about it tonight or on Monday morning,’’ he said.

Sources said the emergency services will be attended to by the trusts-run hospitals including Wokhardt, Doshi Hospital and Dasa Shrimali Hospital.

According to reports, Godhania and Dr Deshmukh were engaged in a scuffle after the latter refused to go to RMC office to give his statement over the seizure of 50 kg of biomedical waste from the terrace of Zanana Hospital, the gynaecological wing of Rajkot Civil Hospital.

While Deshmukh has been accused of verbally abusing the cop, the latter allegedly used force to take Deshmukh to the corporation office.