Three striking nurses threaten suicide in Kerala

Kochi, Aug 15 (IANS) As the country celebrated Independence Day, three nurses on strike Wednesday threatened to commit suicide by jumping off their hospital's terrace.

The three nurses readied to make the suicidal jump as the strike by a section of the nurses in Kothamangalam Mar Baselious Hospital, numbering around 100, entered its 114th day.

Labour Minister Shibhu Baby John told IANS that the police and hospital management are doing their best to pacify the nurses to see that better sense prevailed and they came down from the terrace.

"Fire officials are there and we expect the situation to be defused soon," he said.

"We have been involved in settling their (nurses) issues and statutory policies are now being followed by the hospital management," John said.

"My officials have held numerous talks to settle the issue and now it appears that the strike is getting prolonged because of rivalry between two nurses' unions," said the minister.

The three nurses, to attract attention, went to the terrace of the hospital building early in the morning.

When media persons tried to reach them, the nurses threatened to jump off the building.