Mumbai: In a shocking display of political hooliganism inside a government hospital, a Shiv Sena corporator and his supporters allegedly assaulted doctors and nursing staff in full public view after they referred a pregnant woman to another medical facility due to the non-availability of neonatal intensive care beds. The brazen attack, captured on CCTV cameras, has triggered statewide outrage, forced doctors to suspend work in protest and renewed concerns over the growing menace of violence against healthcare professionals.

According to police, Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre and five associates allegedly stormed the civic-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Kalyan on Monday and physically attacked doctors Srishti Bawiskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe, besides assaulting nurses Namita Ubale and Dravya Giri. The attack reportedly followed a medical decision to shift a 33-year-old pregnant woman to another hospital equipped to handle a high-risk delivery.

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Medical Officer of Health Dr Deepa Shukla said sonography had revealed that the baby’s umbilical cord was wrapped twice around its neck, making the pregnancy highly complicated. As all ten NICU beds at the hospital were occupied, doctors referred the patient to Sion Hospital for advanced neonatal care. The patient was later shifted to Vasant Valley Maternity Hospital, where she safely delivered the baby on Monday night.

Despite acting purely on medical grounds, the doctors allegedly became victims of an unprovoked assault. CCTV footage reportedly shows Mhatre striking a woman doctor from behind with such force that her mobile phone flew from her hand before he and his supporters allegedly turned on other members of the medical staff.

The incident sparked an immediate ‘stop-work’ protest by doctors and healthcare workers, severely affecting hospital services. Medical associations across the country condemned the attack, calling it yet another example of unchecked political intimidation inside public healthcare institutions.

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanded immediate and stringent legal action against the accused. They warned that if prompt action was not taken, doctors could intensify their agitation, including shutting down private hospitals and clinics across the region.

FAIMA Chief Patron Dr Rohan Krishnan said doctors cannot be blamed for systemic shortcomings such as shortages of NICU beds or inadequate infrastructure. He described the assault as an attack on the entire medical fraternity and urged the Maharashtra Government to ensure exemplary punishment to send a clear message that violence against healthcare workers would not be tolerated.

The assault has also embarrassed the ruling alliance, with leaders from the Shiv Sena and BJP publicly distancing themselves from the accused corporator. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam condemned the incident, stating that no individual has the right to take the law into his own hands and assuring a thorough investigation.

Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, himself a medical professional, described the attack as “highly condemnable” and emphasised that doctors and nurses dedicate their lives to serving society under extremely stressful conditions. He said the party would not shield anyone found guilty and promised both legal and disciplinary action against those involved.

Health Minister Prakash Abitkar also denounced the violence, saying grievances must be addressed through legal channels and not by assaulting medical professionals. BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar echoed the criticism, asserting that there could be no justification for “goondaism” and that the law must take its course.

Meanwhile, Mhatre denied assaulting the woman doctor despite CCTV footage purportedly showing the incident. Claiming that he merely knocked the mobile phone from her hand because she was allegedly not listening, he refused to express remorse over his conduct, further fuelling public anger.

The incident has once again exposed the alarming vulnerability of doctors and hospital staff to political muscle power, with the medical fraternity demanding stronger legal safeguards to ensure hospitals remain places of healing rather than arenas of violence.