Mumbai: Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three others have been arrested after CCTV footage purportedly showed him and several of his supporters assaulting doctors and hospital staff inside a municipal hospital in Maharashtra’s Kalyan.
Speaking to reporters, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Suhas Hemade said: “In this assault case, there are four accused, including one woman. They include local corporator Ramesh Mhatre, Akshay Karande, Rajesh Pawar, and Pramod Nikam.”
Describing the alleged assault incident, he said: “A female patient had come to Shastri Nagar Hospital. An argument broke out over an issue regarding her treatment. Following this, the relatives of the patient came along with the accused and assaulted the on-duty doctor, Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe, a female doctor, and a nurse.”
“They misbehaved with them, beat them up, hurled abuses, and threatened them. Following this incident, Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe lodged a complaint yesterday, and a case has been registered,” the police official said.
“Legal procedures will be followed, and action will be taken accordingly,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat condemned the incident, saying, “Whether it is a male or female (doctor), assaulting someone is not an act of courage.”
“Just because the person belongs to our party, we won’t defend his actions,” he asserted.
However, he urged doctors to carry out the treatment of patients properly.
“In some cases, even the doctors’ behaviour is not good, but still we won’t support what the corporator has done,” he stated.
The footage of the incident quickly went viral, triggering outrage among medical professionals and the public. Several healthcare organisations demanded strict action against those involved, stressing that violence against healthcare workers cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Despite the public backlash, Mhatre denied allegations that he had assaulted the woman doctor. Speaking to NDTV on Wednesday, he maintained that he had not physically attacked her, claiming instead that he merely slapped her mobile phone as she was not responding to their concerns.
He argued that he was attempting to draw the doctor’s attention after repeated phone calls went unanswered. Mhatre also defended his actions by claiming that he was acting in the interest of the patient and the newborn.
Mhatre further stated that he would not apologise for the incident and asserted that his actions had helped save the lives of the woman and her child. However, he added that he would express regret if the doctors apologised for their behaviour.
(IANS)
