Mumbai: Deceased patient’s relatives attack resident doctors at JJ hospital, 4 arrested

400 doctors are on strike at JJ hospital. (Express Photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

FOUR PERSONS were arrested for allegedly assaulting two resident doctors and damaging property at the state-run JJ hospital on Saturday. The four — three men and one woman — allegedly vandalised the female ward on Friday night after their relative passed away at the hospital. Following the incident, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) called an indefinite strike demanding increased security in hospitals. At least 400 doctors from JJ hospital went on strike. Officers at the JJ Marg police station said that the deceased, Zahira Bi Sannaullah Shaikh (45), was admitted to the hospital on May 17. “She was a resident of Mumbra and had been referred to JJ hospital from a private hospital. She had a gall bladder-related ailment,” said senior Inspector Shirish Gaikwad.

Police said resident doctors Shalmali Dharmadhikari (24) Atish Parikh (32) were attacked by Zahira’s relatives after she died on Friday. The incident allegedly took place after the relatives complained that the patient was not being taken care of. “At night, the male members of the family started misbehaving with a first-year woman resident doctor in the female ward. When a second-year male resident tried to intervene, the family members beat up the two doctors,” said an officer.

“Around five persons, including the doctors, were injured. A nurse and a relative of another patient also sustained injuries while trying to stop the attackers,” the officer added. Doctors at the hospital said that while Dharmadhikari was in shock, Parikh received minor fractures on his neck. “They also sustained minor injuries on their hands and face,” said a doctor. DCP (Zone I) Manoj Sharma said a case was registered early Saturday against Mumbra residents Mohammad Sanaullah Shaikh (32), Sony Sanaullah Shaikh (23), Rihan Sanaullah Shaikh (22) and Samila Khatun Sanaullah Shaikh (20). “We have booked them under Maharashtra Medical Practitioner Service Act 2010, Public property Damage Prevention Act along the IPC.”

“They have confessed that they beat up the doctors, as they believed that the patient died as she was not given adequate attention. They were produce in court and remanded to judicial custody till May 31,” said an officer. Another accused, Ibrar Shah (19), a relative of Shaikh, is absconding. Sarang Donarkar, chief of MARD, alleged that despite repeated requests, the hospital lacks adequate security facilities. “We have been requesting that security alarms be installed inside the wards and various other locations in the hospital for more than a year now. Our requests have fallen on deaf ears. We also want more security guards to be deployed.”

A doctor, Faiz Rehman, said: “We are protesting because we want additional security inside the hospital. Right now, police officers only stand outside emergency wards. They should be posted outside each ward.” When contacted, Directorate Medical Education Research (DMER) Director Pravin Shingare said: “We had appointed security forces at specific points in the hospital, including emergency wards and intensive care units. Now, we will appoint guards in the wards of government hospitals. We did not install panic buttons at the hospital, as was promised after attacks on doctors last year. We will do so now.”

In 2017, the MARD had demanded additional security guards at the hospital and increased security measures after attacks on doctors by relatives of patients. The doctors on Saturday said their strike will continue till panic buttons are installed and number of guards inside the hospital is increased. “We have appointed paraclinical doctors to assist in the emergency services. However, we wish to remain on strike till an action is taken about our demands,” Donarkar said.