A case has been registered against a Shiv Sena corporator and five others for allegedly assaulting two doctors at a civic-run hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane district after the family of a newborn was advised to move the baby to another medical facility, police said.
The incident took place at Shastri Nagar Hospital, operated by the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), on Monday evening. A video of the alleged assault later surfaced on social media and triggered widespread criticism.
The video purportedly showed corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre hitting the doctors inside the hospital premises.
Medical associations demand action after video goes viral
Police registered a case on Tuesday night against Mhatre and five others following demands for action by medical organisations, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
According to officials, doctors Srishti Bawiskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe had advised the newborn’s relatives to shift the baby to another facility due to a shortage of space in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The relatives were reportedly upset over the suggestion and contacted the corporator. Mhatre then reached the hospital and allegedly abused and assaulted the doctors. Dr Salunkhe sustained injuries during the incident, police said.
KDMC Medical Health Officer Dr Deepa Shukla, along with other medical staff, approached the police late Monday night, but the case was not registered at that time.
Hospital staff stage protest seeking arrest
After the video of the incident went viral on Tuesday afternoon, hospital workers staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of Mhatre and his associates.
Representatives from the IMA’s Kalyan and Dombivli units, along with civic workers’ union leaders, also met KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal and sought action.
The IMA representatives warned that private clinics and hospitals in the region would remain shut if an FIR was not registered. They also demanded the arrest of the corporator and his supporters.
Police register case against six people
Following the protests, police registered a case against Mhatre, his four male supporters and a woman under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to assaulting a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, intentional insult, unlawful assembly and rioting.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Nemade said an investigation into the incident was underway and no arrests had been made so far.
Shrikant Shinde condemns attack on medical staff
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde condemned the incident and said action would be taken against those responsible.
"The assault on doctors and medical staff at Shastri Nagar Hospital of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) is highly condemnable. As a doctor myself, I know that patient service is not merely a job but a service to humanity. In extremely adverse and stressful conditions, doctors, nurses, and other health workers labor day and night for the public's service. A case has been registered in connection with this incident. No one who takes the law into their own hands will be spared, and strict action will be taken against the guilty as per the law. The party's stance on this matter is also clear. The party will not support any individual involved in this attack. Strict disciplinary action will also be taken within the party against those found guilty. As a public representative and a doctor, I stand firmly with all doctors, nurses, and medical staff at KDMC Hospital. We must all respect their safety, dignity, and right to provide service fearlessly."
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