Kandivali doctors go on strike after colleague is assaulted

A doctor working at the civic-run Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivali (west) was assaulted by a patient’s kin Sunday night, following which doctors refused to work on Monday as a mark of protest.

Dr Umesh Waghmare was on night duty when a man who had sustained minor injuries approached the casualty ward for treatment. At that time, Dr Waghmare was busy attending to another patient, when the relative of the man who had accompanied him demanded immediate care. He then started raised a rumpus and even assaulted the on-duty doctor.

“I was just doing my duty when suddenly the man’s kin assaulted me and threatened me at knifepoint. I was scared and he was continuously abusing me and using filthy language. Finally, with the help of security personnel, we managed to get rid of him. The police has arrested them.”

Senior police inspector of Kandivli Police station, Mukund Pawar, said, “We have arrested four people in this regard. They are identified as Billal Shaikh (23), Mohammad Hafiz Khan (27), Hassan Ahmed Khan (21) and Abdul Hafiz Khan (52), under the IPC sections 353,323, and 506.”

On Monday all the doctors of the Kandivali hospital refused to work in protest against the incident.

Doctors held a meeting in the morning. In the absence of doctors in the casualty and various other departments, there were long queues of patients at the hospital.