With no signs of rapprochement between the striking doctors and the Bihar government in sight even on the fourth day of the state-wide agitation by the medical fraternity, the army and railway hospitals have come forward to admit patients.

The railways have agreed to make arrangements for 50 beds each in its hospitals at Samastipur, Khagaul and Sonepur, Chief Secretary K A H Subramania said in Patna on Tuesday. Besides, 10 beds each have been made available for emergency cases at Gaya and Kiul and the outpatient departments at Kiul, Jhajha and Gaya.

The army authorities have also responded to his request to entertain emergency cases at the Bihar Regimental Centre Hospital at Danapur cantonment on the outskirts of the city, he said.

He said a breakthrough has been achieved in the kidnapping of Dr Nagendra Prasad and the murder of eminent surgeon N K Agarwal, with the arrest of four persons on Tuesday.

He said the police have arrested the wife and brother of gangster Kumud Thakur in Samastipur in connection with the kidnapping of Prasad, who was abducted by extortionists from the area last month.

Two more arrests were also reported in connection with Agarwal's killing on Diwali day, he said.

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Subramania called upon the Indian Medical Association leaders to reconsider their decision to continue the indefinite strike in protest against the killing of Agarwal. The agitation has paralysed health services across the state.