Cops crackdown on quacks in Odisha, seven arrested

MALKANGIRI:  Cracking down on quacks operating in the district, police on Saturday arrested seven persons for ‘treating’ tribals of Swabhiman Anchal by posing as doctors. The arrested quacks were identified as Sufal Biswas, Biswadeb Sarkar, Palas Ray, all of West Bengal, Bipin Chandra Nayak Behera of Chitrakonda, Paresh Bawali of MV-73 , Sashank Paik of MPV-14 and Sachin Pramanik of MPV-11. 

Police said the accused didn’t have any degree or occupational licence but used to visit Swabhiman Anchal regularly by posing as doctors. Taking advantage of the tribals’ ignorance, the quacks even charged more money for treating various ailments. 

In the evening, Kalimela police arrested Paresh, Sashank and Sachin for running clinics and fraudulently providing allopathic treatment to villagers without having any licence. During interrogation, the trio revealed the names of four other quacks active in Chitrakonda.

Basing on their information, Chitrakonda police arrested Sufal, Biswadeb, Palas and Bipin in the night. All the seven accused were produced in Court on Sunday. Under the direction of SP Rishikesh D Khilari, Malkangiri police has launched a crackdown on quacks across the district after several reports about fake doctors exploiting people in tribal-dominated areas by taking advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown came to the fore. Recently, photos of patients in Podia area lying under a tree with saline drips hanging from the branches went viral on social media. They were reportedly being treated by a quack.