Doctors' assault: Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre surrenders, lands in judicial custody

Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre surrendered at the Vishnunagar Police Station in Thane district on Sunday (July 19) in connection with the assault on two doctors at a civic hospital in Dombivli, Maharashtra, earlier this month. A court in Kalyan later remanded him to judicial custody till August 3.

Mhatre's surrender came a day after the Bombay High Court cancelled the bail granted to him by a lower court. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad directed him to surrender before 5 pm on Sunday, while criticising the magistrate for overlooking his criminal antecedents.

Earlier criminal records

According to the court, Mhatre has been named in 18 criminal cases, including serious offences such as murder and attempt to murder. The Bench observed that such a record should have been taken into account while deciding his bail application.

Also read: Doctor assault row: Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Mhatre offers justification, not apology

Mhatre arrived at the police station around 3.30 pm, well before the court-imposed deadline, and was later produced before the Kalyan court, which sent him to judicial custody.

Hospital assault case

The case is related to an incident on the night of July 6 at the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KMDC)-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli. According to the police, Mhatre and his associates allegedly assaulted two doctors, including Resident Medical Officer Dr Srishti Baviskar and Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe, along with other hospital staff after they advised the family of a newborn to shift the infant to another hospital because no neonatal intensive care unit beds were available.

A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, allegedly showed Mhatre slapping and punching Dr Salunkhe and attacking Dr Baviskar, triggering widespread outrage.

Also read: Thane doctor flees city in fear after assault by Shiv Sena corporator; party leaders slam Mhatre

Following criticism from the medical fraternity and the Indian Medical Association (IMA), police registered a case against Mhatre and five others under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including assault on a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting.

Healthcare workers protest

The assault sparked protests by doctors and healthcare workers across the Kalyan-Dombivli region, disrupting medical services at several government and private hospitals. Both doctors later resigned from the hospital and reportedly left the city, citing concerns over their safety.

The high court also took note of the Maharashtra-wide protest planned by the IMA on Wednesday (July 22). While cancelling Mhatre's bail, the Bench appealed to doctors to reconsider the proposed strike in the larger public interest, observing that any disruption of healthcare services could adversely affect patients.

Also read: Two doctors assaulted by Shiv Sena corporator resign from civic-run hospital

The high court also revoked the bail granted to Mhatre's co-accused. Meanwhile, police arrested a fifth accused, Sadhana Karande, the mother of the newborn patient, in connection with the assault. She was produced before a court and remanded to one-day police custody.