Palghar: Some Shiv Sena workers allegedly assaulted an employee of a private hospital in Palghar, abused doctors and threatened to damage property early on Sunday after being told that five govindas injured during a dahi handi celebration needed to undergo CT scans.Sena’s district chief Kundan Sankhe claimed they went to Relief Hospital after receiving complaints that the govindas were not being allowed to leave and were being asked to settle the bill, which was to be covered by the party. He said a dispute arose after hospital staffers failed to give satisfactory answers.Palghar police filed a case under various sections against 17 persons, including Rohit Gavit, son of Sena MLA Rajendra Gavit and the party’s deputy taluka chief, Sankhe, and the city Sena chief. The assault was captured on a CCTV camera in the hospital’s reception. Kishor Manbhav, senior inspector, said police examined the CCTV footage and launched a search for the accused.The assault came two months after Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his aides allegedly assaulted medical staffers of a Dombivli hospital purportedly over delay in treating a pregnant patient.Around 1.15am on Sunday, Sena’s district chief Kundan Sankhe, its city chief Rahul Gharat and other workers allegedly entered Relief Hospital in Palghar, questioning doctors over the treatment and the need for the injured govindas to undergo CT scans. A woman doctor working near the reception reportedly explained that the scans were necessary because the patients had suffered head injuries.The Sena workers allegedly became angry, threatened to damage hospital property and abused doctors. Gharat then allegedly slapped the receptionist, Vivek Zinga (23). The assault was caught on camera.The workers then allegedly entered the ICU, removed the intravenous fluid lines of govindas, and took all five of them away from the hospital.Sena had organised a dahi handi celebration on Saturday, during which the five govindas were injured. Three were in the ICU with head injuries and two in the general ward. Their bill had reached Rs 19,866, of which a Sena worker had paid Rs 10,000, with the remaining amount reportedly to be paid by the party’s district chief.The hospital administration said Sankhe questioned why the patients had been admitted to the ICU and why the bill was so high, and intimidated and assaulted the staff. “Our entire staff is frightened. The employee who was assaulted is under stress. Strict action should be taken against all those who assaulted him,” said the hospital’s Dr Vishal Kotgirkar.Sections 115(2) (causing hurt), 351(2) and 352 (insulting and threatening with the intention of causing a breach of peace), 329(4) (criminal trespass), and 189(1), 189(2) and 190 (unlawful assembly), as well as Sections 3 and 4 of Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions Act, 2010, relating to assault on medical personnel, violent acts and damage to hospital property, have been invoked in the case.The Boisar unit of Indian Medical Association, represented by president Dr Milan Kamat and secretary Dr Prakash Babu, expressed concern over the attack and sought appropriate preventive measures to ensure the safety and security of the hospital and its staffers.
