Mumbai : In yet another instance, two resident doctors including a woman were allegedly beaten up by a patient’s relatives at the state-run Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy (JJ) Hospital on Saturday morning. While police have arrested four of the five accused and they have been charged under various non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the incident prompted the hospital’s resident doctors to go on a day-long strike.
The accused have been identified as Mohammad Altaf Anulahak Shaikh (32), Sony Sanaullah Sheikh (23), Rihan Sanaullah Sheikh (22) and Kumari Samila Khatun Sanaullah Sheikh (20), all are residents of Mumbra.
The incident took place in ward number 11 of the surgery ward where a patient named Zaida Sanaullah Sheikh (45), a Mumbra resident, who was being treated for a gall bladder ailment, died. “It was a sudden death and there was no medical negligence by the doctor. But both doctors have sustained minor fractures, for which medication was given immediately,” said doctor.
Dr Sudhir Nanandkar, Dean of JJ hospitals confirmed the incident stating such behaviour from relatives cannot be tolerated and it is an unfortunate incident. “We will conduct an inquiry in to this matter and stern action will be taken against the patient’s relatives. Angry relatives assaulted the doctors and then created a ruckus inside the hospital premises as well. They also damaged the hospital property,” added Dr Nanandkar.
A senior police official said they arrested five members of Sheikh’s family, including a woman, for the alleged assault. “The family members alleged that it was due to negligence on the doctors part, and beat up Dr Atish Parikh and a woman doctor, Dr Shamali Dharmadhikari, who were on duty. They also allegedly ransacked the ward. CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media,” added a police official.
Manoj Kumar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone-1 Mumbai, said they have booked the accused under the Medicare Act. “The accused are also booked under Section 353, 332, 324, 427, 141,142,143 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a case has been registered under the rioting act as well,” added Sharma.
A senior doctor of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) alleged that despite repeated requests, there was no adequate security at the hospital. “Earlier we had given a letter to the dean to increase security in the hospital, but instead of increasing, it was reduced to half,” said Dr Sarang Donarkar, Chief of MARD.Meanwhile, MARD is currently holding a meeting with the Dean and striking resident doctors said that they will conduct an indefinite mass-bunk until the state government does not fulfil their demand of safety and security of doctors.