Ghaziabad, March 3 (IANS): Doctors here launched an indefinite strike Monday after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) decided on it following the arrest of 24 medical students in Kanpur, an IMA member said.

IMA Ghaziabad unit president Anil Tomar said the decision to observe a strike was taken on the directions of the state unit.

All out patient departments (OPDs) were suspended, but emergency services were operated on humanitarian grounds.

Three medical colleges - Santosh Medical College, Rama Medical College and Saraswati Medical College - and super specialty hospitals shut down their OPDs.

The 24 students were arrested from their hostel after Samajwadi Party legislator from Kanpur Irfan Solanki was involved in a scuffle with students and junior doctors of B.R. Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital.

Tomar said that after a minor road rage incident at a petrol pump, police barged into the hostel and brutally beat up and arrested 24 students.

He said there were rumours that a patient had succumbed to his injuries, but it was not due to the strike as all emergency services were available. He demanded the immediate release of the students and withdrawal of all criminal cases registered against them.