After widespread backlash over delay in action, Maharashtra Police on Wednesday arrested Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre for assaulting two doctors at a civic hospital in Dombivli.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, came to light after CCTV footage of the assault appeared on social media.
Hospital authorities claimed that the assault occurred in connection with a caesarean section wherein the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around the newborn's neck. But the authorities said the NICU of the hospital was fully occupied and hence the baby could not be admitted. Doctors then referred the baby to another hospital for specialised treatment.
The relatives of the mother and child allegedly got in touch with Mhatre, who tried to contact the hospital. However, hospital authorities said the doctors could not attend the corporator's calls as they were attending to other patients.
Mhatre later arrived at the hospital with a group of men and the CCTV video showed the corporator and his associates assualting gynaecologists Dr Srushti Baviskar and Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe. The hospital also claimed that the corporator verbally abused them without trying to understand the actual medical issue. Two nurses Namita Ubale and Drvya Giri were also manhandled.
Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde, who is Kalyan MP, condemned the assualt. "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 labour day and night for the public's service," he posted on X. "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," he added.
