Constable assaults resident doctor, gets transferred

Angered by the fact that the patient was admitted by Chunabhatti police and not Sion police, constable Jitendra Jadhav tried to drive away the doctor. When the doctor demanded for the same reply to be given in writing, the constable lunged at him and slapped him across his face

Mumbai Doctors from Sion Hospital caused an uproar at the Sion police station after a resident doctor was slapped by a constable at the station on Wednesday morning.

Mumbai, India - May 12, 2020: Over view of Lokmanya Tilak municipal general Hospital, Sion, during a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. (Photo by Satish Bate/Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

During the meeting between the senior inspector and hospital authorities later in the day, the doctors demanded disciplinary action on the errant constable, as well as a written apology from him. Taking note of their demand, the constable was transferred from the police station, while a departmental enquiry into the matter is underway.

The incident took place when a junior resident doctor from the hospital had gone to the police station attending a matter pertaining a patient admitted by the police who was due for discharge.

Angered by the fact that the patient was admitted by Chunabhatti police and not Sion police, constable Jitendra Jadhav tried to drive away the doctor. When the doctor demanded for the same reply to be given in writing, the constable lunged at him and slapped him across his face.

The patient had been brought in by the Chunabhatti police a couple of months ago. Subsequently, he underwent treatment including an amputation surgery at the orthopedics department of the hospital.

“Since the treatment has been completed, the doctor responsible for this patient first went to Chunabhatti police station as the contact form of the patient has their head constable as the person who brought him in. They assured him that they will make arrangements for the patient’s discharge by Sunday. However, since this was not done by Wednesday, the doctor went to Sion police station to talk to the officials there about the matter,” said Dr Akhilesh Moktali, the general secretary of the hospital’s unit of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

“We have started an inquiry against the constable and also transferred him. We will inquire into the allegations and act accordingly. Presently, departmental inquiry has been initiated against the constable,” said Manoj Hirlekar, senior police inspector of Sion police station.