Thane Hospital Staff Protest After Arrested Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Admitted
On Thursday, around 150 medical staff staged a protest outside the Thane District Civil Hospital after Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting healthcare workers, was admitted to the hospital's prison ward. The protest occurred on Thursday afternoon following Mhatre's admission on Wednesday night due to chest pain and fluctuating blood pressure.
Mhatre and three of his aides were accused of assaulting two doctors, including a woman doctor, along with two nurses and a staff member at the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) Shastrinagar Hospital on Monday evening. The confrontation reportedly began over the treatment of a pregnant woman. While his aides were arrested on Tuesday, Mhatre was arrested on Wednesday by the Vishnu Nagar police.
Following his arrest, Mhatre complained of chest pain and was moved to the prison ward of the Thane District Civil Hospital. Doctors treating him stated that Mhatre has multiple health ailments, including hypertension, breathlessness, vomiting, and only one kidney. He was kept under observation due to shooting blood pressure and is expected to be discharged on Friday morning.
Between 2 pm and 3 pm on Thursday, doctors, nurses, and other hospital employees gathered outside the Thane facility wearing black ribbons. The protestors shouted slogans demanding better security for healthcare workers and the immediate disqualification of Mhatre as a corporator.
The protesting medical staff argued that a public representative accused of physically assaulting healthcare workers has no moral right to remain in office. They pointed out that the incident, which was recorded on CCTV, involved physical violence against both male and female medical staff.
The protest in Thane was part of a larger wave of demonstrations across Maharashtra. Resident doctors and nurses in various government and semi-government medical colleges, including KEM, Sion, and Cooper hospitals, observed symbolic black ribbon protests while continuing to provide patient care.
The Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (Central MARD) and BMC MARD have both released statements demanding a zero-tolerance policy towards violence in hospitals, enhanced security measures, and a fast-track trial for the accused.
