2 fake doctors arrested in Murbad Taluka; one more escapes

A week after the arrest of a quack from Murbad Taluka in Thane district, two more bogus doctors were arrested by Tokawade Police in Murbad while another one managed to escape; police have intensified the search of quacks in tribal hamlets of Murbad with health and taluka officers

A week after the arrest of a bogus doctor from Murbad Taluka in Thane district, two more quacks were arrested by Tokawade Police in Murbad while another one managed to escape.

A week after the arrest of a quack from Murbad Taluka in Thane district, two more bogus doctors were arrested by Tokawade Police while another one managed to escape. (HT FILE)

The police have intensified the search of quacks in tribal hamlets of Murbad with health and taluka officers.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Collector of Thane District issued an order to all gram panchayat officials to display and announce the names of all authentic doctors on the Panchayat board visible to the villagers. So far, the team of officials has taken action against 11 bogus doctors from Bhiwandi area other than Murbad.

The intensity of the situation came to light when Tokawade police last week arrested a 72-year-old quack who worked as security guard. Four people in the village had allegedly died due to his treatment.

Vitthal Burbuda, 40, and Pramod Dhangar, 48, were arrested this week while Sayyed Shaikh escaped. These accused were earlier working under senior doctors in the district and Taluka as compounder or clerk in various hospitals.

Police inspector, Santosh Darade of Tokawade police, said, “Tahsildar, Taluka Medical Officer (TMO) and some of our team members have raided a list of places submitted by social workers and checked the details of the doctors in which these persons didn’t have any documents of their medical degree while the clinic had no permissions. They were immediately arrested and, right now, they have been given judicial custody.”

In other villages of Murbad like Umbroli, Muhachi wadi, Dhangar Pada, Moroshi and Dehri Pada, fake clinics were raided but the doctors had already escaped. The TMO seized all their medicinal material for investigation.

Dinesh Jadhav, member of Adivasi Kranti Sena who has given this list of bogus doctors, said, “We have searched on our own the details of these doctors six months ago and made a list and held a meeting with TMO four months ago. Although, they didn’t take any action till someone died.”

Deputy Collector, Gopinath Thombre, said, “We held a meeting and ordered immediate action against all bogus doctors and to conduct checks at every clinic. We have asked to prepare a list of authentic doctors in every gram panchayat and issued an order to the gram panchayat to display this list. The taluka team will inspect in a month if these measures are followed.”