3 Arrested For Attacking Thane Hospital Staff, Cop Says Sena Leader Is Next

Maharashtra Police has arrested three people for the assault on doctors at a Kalyan Dombivli hospital led by a Shiv Sena corporator. The video of the assault had gone viral and triggered an outrage. Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre was seen in video assaulting a female doctor and other staff.

Police say that Shiv Sena corporator will also be arrested soon. Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Hemade has said that police will move against the corporator and he will also be arrested. 

The incident had happened on July 6 and three days later, police have arrested three persons. Although, an FIR has been filed against the corporator, he has not been arrested yet. 

Responding to the growing outrage, the state government has also promised a probe and action the corporator. "Assaulting doctors is wrong. We will investigate the matter and take action. If someone has any issue, they must report to the authorities instead of taking the law into their hands," Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said on Wednesday.

A dispute over unavailability of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) beds triggered the assault by Mhatre and his supporters, a hospital official said. The family of a pregnant woman in the hospital was informed by doctors that the newborn may need a NICU facility, but since all such beds in their hospital were occupied, the doctors asked them to consider taking her to another hospital. 

Watch | Seen Hitting Woman Doctor On Video, Sena Leader's 'Did Nothing Wrong' Response

CCTV footage showed the corporator and a group of men punching and slapping the hospital staff inside a room. The chaotic scene dragged on for over three minutes.

One of the doctors, a woman, was seen trying to use her mobile phone amid the attack. She was also seen on camera struggling to stop the men from pressing on with their attack. When they tried to take her mobile phone, she stepped back behind a desk and tried to use the phone.

Suddenly, the corporator hit her with such force from behind that the phone fell off her hand. After that, he turned back to the other staff and continued the assault.

When confronted by NDTV, Mhatre denied assaulting the woman doctor despite video evidence showing otherwise. He insisted that he only "slapped her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone," Mhatre said.

He also refused to express regret over his actions.

The hospital, meanwhile, remains shut as the doctors and staff continue their strike demanding security and action against the Shiv Sena corporator.