Dombivli: Doctors strike after Shiv Sena leader assaults medical staff

Doctors at Shashtri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli are striking after Shiv Sena Corporator Mahesh Mhatre assaulted a doctor. The incident sparked condemnation from politicians and medical bodies, highlighting concerns over lawlessness and doctor safety.

The doctors at Shashtri Nagar Hospital on Wednesday launched a strike over "complete lawlessness," after Shiv Sena Corporator Mahesh Mhatre assaulted a doctor and medical staff. A patient who came for a medical checkup said, "I needed to see an eye doctor, but there is nobody here."

Widespread Condemnation Over Assault

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Mahesh Sawant raised serious concerns over the safety of ordinary citizens and doctors, saying that there is complete lawlessness and nobody is safe. "In Maharashtra, neither doctors nor ordinary citizens are safe; there is complete lawlessness. The ruling side seems to believe that since they hold a majority, they can do whatever they please; they have no fear of the law or regard for it. We witnessed the recent incident where a doctor was assaulted," he said.

Maharashtra Minister Pankaj Rajesh Bhoyar said that the police department is investigating the complaint. Condemning the incident, he said that physical assault cannot be tolerated under any circumstances and assured strict legal action against whoever is found guilty. "The police department is conducting an inquiry into the complaint received regarding this matter. The circumstances under which the public representative acted will be assessed, and the condition of the hospital will also be examined because ordinary citizens often approach public representatives with complaints or to highlight issues, and sometimes tempers flare. Physical assault can never be condoned. That is why an inquiry is underway, and action will be taken against whoever is found guilty," he said.

BJP MLA Pravin Darekar echoed a similar sentiment, saying that other ways could have been used to tackle the situation instead of resorting to physical assault. "I believe that regardless of which party an elected representative belongs to, such behaviour in a hospital is not appropriate. If there is a poor state of affairs or mismanagement, there are proper ways to address it. Resorting to physical assault is not the solution," he said.

Corporator Expresses Regret, Blames Hospital System

The remarks came after the Shiv Sena Corporator assaulted the doctors and medical staff of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital. Earlier, speaking at a press conference, Mhatre expressed regret over the incident and alleged that the nurse was not listening to the grievances and was constantly speaking on her phone, after which he tapped her on the hand. "I express regret over the incident of assault that took place. I state with full confidence that I did not raise my hand against the female doctor. What appears in the CCTV footage might look that way due to the camera angle. I address her informally (using "tu") because she is like a daughter to me. I am not even aware of whether she is married or not. While we were conversing, she kept talking on the phone and was not listening to our grievance; that is why I tapped her on the hand. We have been guided by Balasaheb's teachings. We have never raised a hand against women, nor will we ever do so in the future," he said.

"The incident occurred due to systemic shortcomings within the hospital. We will strive to address those deficiencies. The individuals who prompted my visit there will provide further details regarding the entire incident. The people who had called me did not answer my calls. I arrived at the scene considering the gravity of the situation. They are the ones who will provide the full details," he added.

Medical Body Slams 'Brutal Assault'

Meanwhile, Chief Patron, Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), Rohan Krishnan, termed the incident "deeply unfortunate." "The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) expresses its strongest condemnation of the brutal assault on doctors, nurses and healthcare workers at KDMC Shastrinagar Hospital, Maharashtra. It is deeply unfortunate that doctors across the country continue to work under constant fear. The increasing incidents of violence, harassment and mental stress have also contributed to rising cases of depression and suicides among doctors. A nation cannot expect its healthcare workforce to serve selflessly while remaining vulnerable to physical attacks and humiliation," he said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)