Seventeen Shiv Sena workers have been booked by Maharashtra Police for allegedly assaulting staff at a hospital in Palghar following a dispute over the treatment of Dahi Handi participants. Those named in the case include Shiv Sena district chief Kundan Shankhe and Palghar city chief Rahul Gharat.
The incident was reported in the early hours of Sunday after five Govindas, aged between 18 and 25, were brought to the hospital with injuries sustained after falling from the second or third tier of a human pyramid during Janmashtami celebrations. According to the police, the confrontation was triggered when relatives of a 19-year-old patient were asked to clear a hospital bill of Rs 19,866 at the time of discharge. While Rs 10,000 had already been paid, the remaining amount was allegedly not cleared. Hospital employees were then allegedly verbally abused, and a receptionist was slapped during the argument.
The hospital administration, however, has disputed the police version regarding the cause of the confrontation. Hospital director Dr Vishal Kodgirkar said there had been "no dispute about the charges", adding that a discount of around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 had already been provided. According to Kodgirkar, questions were instead raised by the group about the treatment being given to the injured Govindas. One patient with a head injury had been admitted to the ICU for observation following a CT scan, while three others had been treated as outpatients. Another patient, who had suffered multiple fractures of the dorsal spine, had been sent for an MRI.
It was alleged that around 15 to 20 people entered the hospital and questioned doctors about why the CT scan had been conducted and why the head-injury patient had been admitted. When a receptionist intervened during the argument, he was allegedly slapped. Members of the group were then accused of entering the ICU and taking away the five injured Govindas, including the patient admitted with the head injury and the patient undergoing an MRI. Kodgirkar alleged that the presence of the group inside the ICU also disturbed another critically ill patient, whose blood pressure subsequently increased. Concern was raised by him over alleged interference in clinical decisions and the disruption caused inside a critical-care area.
Following a complaint from hospital staff, a case was registered under provisions related to assault and the Medical Services Protection Act. Police said CCTV footage from the hospital, which reportedly captured the assault on the receptionist, was being examined. No arrests have been made so far as the offences invoked are bailable. Notices are expected to be served on the accused while further evidence is collected as part of the investigation.