Srinagar: A probe has been ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir government after a video showed some doctors jeering at a senior Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) legislator in the aftermath of the death of a patient due to alleged medical negligence at a hospital in Udhampur district.The one-minute and 52-second video showed a group of agitated faculty members of Government Medical College (GMC) Udhampur cornering the saffron party MLA Pawan Gupta. This incident took place during an informal meeting called by MLA Gupta on January 27 to examine the allegations that staff members’ dereliction of duties led to the death of a patient on January 24.The death at the emergency department of the Associated Hospital, GMC Udhampur, has prompted sporadic protests in the district following which the J&K government formed a probe committee on Wednesday (January 28) headed by GMC Jammu principal Dr Ashutosh Gupta to look into the matter.The committee will examine the “circumstances and sequence of events, as well as the administrative, security and institutional aspects related to the incident which resulted in the circulation of videos on social media platforms”, an order issued by J&K’s health and medical education department, said on Wednesday, seeking a comprehensive report within 15 days.The unofficial meeting was called by Gupta on January 27 and meant to look into the allegations that some doctors at the hospital were absent when the patient passed away on January 24. Gupta who represents Udhampur (East) constituency of Jammu division claimed some faculty members had prioritised their private practice while ignoring their duties and responsibilities to the public as employees of the government.‘Private practice’Private practice by government doctors is a burning issue in Jammu and Kashmir with several doctors caught attending to patients in private clinics during official working hours, prompting calls for a blanket ban on such efforts.During this interaction on Tuesday, Gupta urged the GMC Udhampur faculty to work for “strengthening the institution” while lamenting the “sorry state of affairs” at the hospital. This triggered a heated argument.The video which was leaked on social media showed a faculty member from the general medicine department approaching Gupta and shouting, “I want to say something. This is enough!”He was seen attempting to snatch the microphone from Gupta’s hands while shouting. A man seated beside the saffron party legislator was seen pushing him back.The video showed another faculty member then emerging from a row of benches in the hall, pointing his index finger at the MLA while signalling others to leave before dashing out of the door.Gupta was seen standing up from his chair and trying to offer an explanation, when he appeared to have been mobbed by some faculty members. “You should not humiliate us like this,” a woman who is part of the crowd appeared to shout at the legislator.“I complimented one of the doctors. I am not shouting. What has happened to you? Why are you threatening me? What do you want to do?” Gupta, visibly shaken, could be heard saying.At one point during the heated exchange, two police officers appeared to insert themselves between Gupta and the agitated faculty members. “You are educated people. You should sit down and talk calmly,” one of the officers was heard telling the woman.Gupta has alleged that some faculty members at the GMC Udhampur remained absent from their duties to attend to their private practice and urged the government to track the location of their smartphones during official working hours.GMC Udhampur principal Dr Pramod Kalsotra could not be reached for comment.In the days following the patient’s death on January 24, locals had assembled in Udhampur and raised slogans against the hospital administration and J&K’s health minister Sakina Itoo, while accusing some doctors and other staff of negligence.Government versus administrationIn Jammu and Kashmir, democratically elected legislators – irrespective of party background – are often undermined by an administration which remains largely answerable to the lieutenant governor. The elected assembly has been functional for more than a year now.J&K’s deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Wednesday warned government employees to stay clear of “political activities” while urging them to treat the requests of elected representatives as the directive of the government.The warning came after five employees of roads and public works department were suspended on the orders of Choudhary for alleged dereliction of duties during the snow-clearance operations in Kashmir amid inclement weather.“Our elected representatives are sitting on constitutional posts. The employees should not indulge in politics and take them and the public on board. It is a message that we don’t want flatterers in the government. We want officers who work,” Choudhary said, reacting to a question on the reason behind the suspension of the five employees.