Jammu, April 22 -- BJP leader Mohammad Saleem Bhat on Tuesday locked the main gate of Banihal sub-district hospital (SDH) and staged a sit-in on the premises over the shortage of doctors, briefly disrupting healthcare services.

The matter was settled after the authorities intervened and assured they would take up the issue for discussion.

Bhat alleged that the acute shortage of doctors at SDH caused immense hardship to the patients from Banihal, Ramsoo, and Gool sub-divisions. "Despite repeatedly raising the issue of vacant specialist posts with the district administration, no concrete steps have been taken so far," he said.

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