Shillong,May 13 : The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Monday shut down the office of the NEIGRIHMS director Dr DM Thapa and demanded for his immediate removal citing that the institute is not a place to accommodate “murderers”.

The action taken by over 100 activists led by KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar and general secretary Donald V Thabah also came following the recent passing away of a 52-year-old lady.

Patients have been suffering a lot during the past few weeks due to the standoff between the director and the head of the cardiology department in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).

“We have closed down the office chamber of the director with a demand that the government should immediately remove him from the institute for playing with the lives of the patients,” Marngar said.

Holding the director responsible for the present crisis in the institute, he said that the attitude of the incumbent director is clear that he is not there to improve the functioning of the premier institute.

“But we want to send a clear message that NEIGRIHMS is not a place to accommodate murderers, it is a place for people who want to save lives,” Marngar said while adding that the Union will continue to protest if the government fails to pay any heed to its demand.

He said the director should also take full responsibility on the death of a woman, who passed away due to non-availability of equipments to treat her adding he is the main cause for such situation to arise.

The KSU chief further slammed the state government for its failure to intervene into the internal problems faced by the institute and to ensure that the patients do not suffer.

“There is complete lack of seriousness from part of the state government on the issue. We wonder how many more lives the state government want to lose till it decides not to take things likely,” he said.

According to him, the union earlier had also requested the state government to take action as there has been frequent resignation of doctors ever since this director was appointed.

Later, district magistrate and police break the lock and open the office chamber of the director.