As many as 4,500 resident doctors, attached to 18 government medical colleges in Maharashtra, have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from July 2 in support of their demands, including increase in stipend.

Sagar Mundada, President of the Central Board of Maharashtra Resident Doctors - the association that has called the strike - said their demands include hike in stipend, strict implementation of the Doctors Protection Act, two- month maternity leave for female doctors and fixed working hours, among others.

All resident doctors will perform their duties on Wednesday wearing black ribbons as a mark of protest and launch an indefinite strike from July 2, he said. Mundada said while treating TB patients, if a doctor contracts the illness, he/she would get six months leave.

He said resident doctors have been demanding that they be relieved from the mandatory bond service (to work in rural areas) if there is no vacancy for them within a month after completing the MD degree. Mundada said during the bond service, resident doctors should be given duties in area of their specialisation.