Shiv Sena Corporator Arrested for Assault on Doctor at KDMC Hospital
A 26-year-old resident medical officer (RMO) at Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's Shastrinagar Hospital has resigned after being assaulted by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his aides. The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of his safety, said he and four other staff members submitted their resignations on Tuesday and have not returned to work.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Vishnunagar police station, the incident occurred on Monday evening when the doctor was on duty. The trouble began when relatives of a pregnant woman demanded a bed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before delivery. The woman's ultrasound had shown the umbilical cord wrapped around the foetus, prompting the gynaecologist to advise an emergency caesarean section.
The doctor explained that the hospital had only one emergency NICU bed, which was already occupied by a critically ill newborn. He assured the family that arrangements could be made at another KDMC hospital with NICU facilities, but they insisted on admission to Shastrinagar Hospital. Around 7:30 pm, the patient's brother called the doctor, and shortly afterward, corporator Ramesh Mhatre began calling, insisting that a bed be arranged. The doctor said Mhatre used abusive language and threatened him.
At around 8 pm, four to five men, including Mhatre, and a woman barged into the labour ward, where the doctor, a woman doctor, two nurses, and a hospital attendant were on duty. The group allegedly abused the medical staff, damaged hospital property including the oxygen storage area, and physically assaulted them. The doctor was struck on the head with a hospital register, and his mobile phone was knocked out of his hand as he attempted to contact senior officials.
After the assault, the doctor said he lived in fear for two days, constantly changing locations after receiving threatening phone calls and messages. He chose not to inform his mother, a single parent and school teacher, about the incident. Mhatre surrendered before the police on Wednesday evening and was arrested along with his aides. The doctor expressed relief at the arrest but rejected Mhatre's claim that he had not assaulted a woman doctor, stating that the focus should remain on the assault itself.
The doctor, who has been working as an RMO for nearly five months, said he earns only Rs 35,000 per month and works overtime daily. He emphasized that the incident highlights the lack of security and respect for government doctors. The case is under investigation.
