The team of doctors that was attacked in Indore is now back at work.

The Madhya Pradesh government Wednesday threatened to take strict action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against 69 bonded doctors if they fail to reach Indore, a major COVID-19 hotspot, by 5.30 pm on Friday.

As the cases continued to surge in the state’s biggest city, the government had on April 11 asked 32 senior doctors and 70 bonded doctors to reach Indore immediately. They were told that they will work under the chief medical and health officer, Indore.

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Four days after the order, only one bonded doctor reached Indore. The government on Wednesday issued the list of doctors who had been asked to rush to the city immediately. Health Commissioner Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said the government will invoke ESMA against the junior doctors if they violate the order.

The state government had invoked ESMA on April 8, declaring health, ambulances, sale and transport of medicines and medical equipment, water and electricity, food and drinking water and security among 10 services as essential. Employees of these sectors can be punished for refusing to work.

The emergency provision was invoked on the day the toll reached 25 and the number of positive cases went past 350.