Thane: A Shiv Sena corporator and his supporters are facing police action after allegedly assaulting two doctors at a civic-run hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane district. The altercation, which was captured on video and quickly went viral online, unfolded after medical staff advised a family to transfer their newborn to another medical centre due to a lack of available beds in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The incident occurred on Monday evening at the Shastri Nagar Hospital in Kalyan, a facility operated by the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Doctors Srishti Bawiskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe informed the newborn’s relatives about the space constraints. Angered by the medical advice, the family contacted corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre. Upon arriving at the hospital, the politician and his associates allegedly directed verbal abuse and physical violence towards the medical professionals, leaving Dr. Salunkhe with injuries.
Despite the severity of the offence, law enforcement did not immediately register a case when hospital staff approached them late Monday night. The delay sparked significant outrage, leading to a work stoppage by hospital employees on Tuesday. The Indian Medical Association quickly intervened, condemning the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for allegedly shielding the accused. The medical body issued a stern warning that it would shut down all private clinics and hospitals in the region if a formal police report was not filed promptly.
Bowing to mounting pressure from the public and medical community, police officially registered a case late Tuesday night against Mhatre, four male supporters, and one woman. The charges were filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including voluntarily causing hurt, rioting, criminal intimidation, and using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty. Local authorities have confirmed that an investigation into the assault is currently under way, though no arrests have been made thus far.
