Guwahati, Sep 4 (IANS): The tea garden workers and staff in Assam may soon face problems during medical emergencies as several tea garden doctors on Tuesday tendered their resignations.

The string of resignations followed after a doctor -- Deben Dutta, 73, was killed mercilessly by a group of agitated tea garden workers at Teok Tea Estate in Jorhat district on Saturday.

The workers were agitated after one of their colleagues died during treatment. Police have taken into custody around 26 people.

"Doctors in tea estates are employed by the tea garden management. The resignations have created a new problem for us," said a senior tea estate manager while expressing concern over the issue.

The doctors in Assam on Tuesday also staged a strike in protest against the attack and subsequent killing of Dutta . Emergency services were, however, kept out of the purview of the stir.

Dutta had succumbed to his injuries after being assaulted by the tea garden workers. 

The doctors of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) also took out a procession demanding justice for Dutta, and demanded security for medicos.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded that he Assam government ensures exemplary punishment to the culprits. 

The Assam Valley Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) and Tea Association of India (TAI) have also condemned the incident.