A Shiv Sena corporator and five others have been booked after an alleged assault on doctors and hospital staff at a Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital sparked outrage among the medical community. The incident, linked to the transfer of a newborn patient due to a shortage of NICU beds, has led to protests by healthcare workers and demands for immediate arrests.
Doctors Allegedly Assaulted Following Referral of Newborn
According to police, the incident took place on Monday evening at Shastri Nagar Hospital after doctors informed a newborn’s family that the infant needed to be shifted to another medical facility because the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) had no vacant beds.
The family allegedly contacted local Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre, who later reached the hospital along with several supporters. Police said the group allegedly abused and assaulted doctors and other hospital employees. During the altercation, Dr. Vaibhav Salunkhe reportedly sustained injuries.
A video of the incident later surfaced on social media, drawing widespread criticism and raising concerns over the safety of medical professionals working in public hospitals.
Doctors and Hospital Staff Launch Protest
The incident prompted strong protests from hospital employees, who observed a work-stop agitation demanding immediate action against those involved.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also condemned the alleged attack and warned of a shutdown of clinics and hospitals across the region if prompt legal action was not initiated. Representatives of the IMA’s Kalyan and Dombivli branches, along with civic workers’ unions, met KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal to press for strict action.
Following the complaints, police registered a case against Mhatre, four male associates and a woman under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to assault on a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting.
Shrikant Shinde Condemns Incident
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde condemned the alleged assault, stating that violence against doctors and healthcare workers cannot be tolerated. He said those responsible would face strict legal consequences and asserted that the party would not protect anyone found guilty. Shinde also said disciplinary action would be initiated within the party if any member was proven to have been involved in the attack, while expressing solidarity with doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
Corporator Rejects Allegations of Assaulting Female Doctor
Mhatre, however, denied allegations that he assaulted female doctors or nurses. While expressing regret over the overall incident, he claimed he had not physically attacked any woman doctor and argued that CCTV footage may have created a misleading impression because of the camera angle.
He maintained that he had only attempted to get the doctor’s attention while discussing the family’s grievance and attributed the confrontation to shortcomings in the hospital’s functioning. Mhatre also said he had visited the hospital after receiving information about the newborn’s condition and insisted he had no intention of assaulting medical personnel.
Police said the investigation is underway and further action will be taken based on the evidence collected.
