Three arrested for assaulting Dombivli hospital staff as Shiv Sena corporator flees
The Thane police arrested three men on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting healthcare staff at the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KDMC) Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli, Thane. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday following a dispute over the referral of a pregnant patient, has triggered hospital strikes and sparked political condemnation across the state.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ramesh Pawar, 50, Pramod Nikam, 35, and Akshay Karande, 30. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Hemade, the three associates of Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre were identified from CCTV footage showing them assaulting the hospital staff.
The police have named corporator Ramesh Mhatre as an absconding accused in the case and have formed dedicated teams to trace him. Another woman named in the case is also currently absconding.
The assault immediately led to a strike by the medical staff at the KDMC hospital. It has also prompted resident doctors and nurses across Maharashtra to announce statewide black-ribbon protests. The Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (Central MARD) announced that doctors across all government medical colleges and hospitals will wear black ribbons on July 9.
Additionally, the Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA) declared a three-day protest starting July 10. The nurses' body has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, warning of stronger agitation if strict action is not taken against the accused by July 13. Dr. Manisha Shinde, president of the state nurses' body, emphasized that recurring attacks reflect a lack of fear of the law among offenders.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders. Maharashtra Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar condemned the physical violence, stating that disagreements in public life cannot justify physical attacks. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray demanded immediate government intervention and action against those responsible.
Kalyan MP Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde distanced his party from the incident, stating that no individual involved in the attack would be shielded. He expressed solidarity with the KDMC hospital staff, noting that doctors and nurses work under extremely adverse and stressful conditions to serve the public.
