Mumbai, July 8 (IANS). Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has welcomed the arrest of Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre. Mhatre and his associates had attacked the doctors (including a woman doctor) on duty at a hospital in Thane.
The organization said that the ‘Black Ribbon’ protest scheduled for tomorrow i.e. Thursday will continue.
The doctors’ organization said all healthcare workers, including doctors, will hold ‘black ribbon’ protests in all government hospitals and medical colleges across the state to protest against the ‘increasing violence’ against the medical fraternity.
The corporator was arrested by Thane police on Wednesday. An FIR was registered against him and three others. All of them were taken to the government hospital for medico-legal examination, after which the legal process will be followed to punish them.
“This timely arrest sends a strong message that violence against doctors and healthcare workers will not be tolerated. The statewide one-day protest will continue as planned. This protest is not only against this incident, but also against the increasing incidents of violence against healthcare workers across the state. Also, it is to reiterate our demand for a safe working environment for all doctors and healthcare professionals,” MARD said in the statement.
This shocking incident took place on July 6 at Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivali. The corporator along with his supporters entered the hospital and beat up the doctors, accusing them of negligence and dereliction of duty.
The corporator and his goons were captured on camera beating and punching the doctors and medical staff at the hospital. This incident caused huge uproar and anger among the public and the doctors’ community.
A case was registered against Mhatre and others after the video of the attack went viral on social media. On Wednesday, he and three other accused were detained from their house.
According to hospital officials, the commotion and violence broke out when doctors advised relatives of the newborn to take the baby to another hospital as there were no beds available in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital.
–IANS
ASH/DKP
