From correspondents in Jharkhand, India, 02:30 PM IST

The Jharkhand government has sacked 129 doctors who have been on strike for 11 days as they wanted their contracts to be changed to regular job appointments.

Health Minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi gave the order Wednesday night after the expiry of the government deadline to the doctors to return to work.

The doctors went on strike May 26 demanding that their services be regularised. The doctors also wanted to be exempted from the written examination conducted before recruitment for regular jobs.

According to the government, 620 doctors were working on contract with the Jharkhand government.

The Indian Medical Association's Jharkhand unit has threatened to go to court against the dismissals.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)