Kolkata, Dec 12 (IANS) In a fall out of the AMRI Hospital fire tragedy, the authorities of Mercy Hospital in upmarket Park Street has decided to close down operations after activists of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) held an angry demonstration Sunday asking the management not to shift its kitchen from the basement.

"After the Amri Hospital fire, the government has given a directive to keep hospital basements vacant. So in an emergency meeting we had already decided to shift the kitchen to Tangra area a few kilometres away temporarily.

"However, a few members of the SUCI-affiliated union tried to forcibly prevent us claiming it was a ploy to take their jobs. But we told them it was only a temporary measure and we have identified a spot adjacent to the main hospital building for setting up our permanent kitchen," said a spokesman of the hospital.

"But they did not listen. And they beat up several of our officials and security personnel. In protest we have decided to close down the hospital," he said.

The indoor patients will be treated till they are discharged, but there will be no new admissions.