Palghar hospital assault: Gharat sent to judicial custody

Medical records show that one of the injured Govindas, whose MRI scan had triggered the dispute at the Relieef Hospital in Palghar, later underwent spinal surgery at another hospital, indicating that the scan advised by doctors at Relieef Hospital was warranted

PALGHAR: A local court on Wednesday extended the police custody of 22 people arrested in connection with the alleged assault and abuse of staff at a private hospital in Palghar by two days. Former Shiv Sena Palghar city chief Rahul Gharat, who was arrested earlier, was remanded in judicial custody.

A dispute over the discharge of injured govindas and bill payment led to Shiv Sena functionaries, including Palghar district chief Kundan Sankhe and city chief Rahul Gharat, allegedly abusing and threatening staff at Relieef Hospital in Palghar on September 6.

Meanwhile, medical records show that one of the injured Govindas (team members who form human pyramids during the Dahi Handi festival), whose MRI scan had triggered the dispute at the Relieef Hospital in Palghar, later underwent spinal surgery at another hospital, indicating that the scan advised by doctors at Relieef Hospital was warranted.

Keshav Pankaj Thakur, 22, was taken to Relieef Hospital after suffering injuries while participating in a Dahi Handi event on September 5. An X-ray conducted at 12.15 am on September 6 showed a fracture of his D11 vertebra, following which hospital staff referred him to the nearby Green Diagnostic Centre for an MRI.

However, members of the Shiv Sena objected to Thakur’s referral for an MRI. The group then allegedly forcefully discharged the admitted injured Govindas and admitted Thakur to another hospital.

A dispute over their discharge and payment of the hospital bill escalated, with Shiv Sena functionaries, including Palghar district chief Kundan Sankhe and city chief Rahul Gharat, allegedly abusing and threatening hospital staff, slapping a receptionist and entering the restricted ICU.

Thakur was subsequently taken to Ozone Hitech Multispeciality Hospital in Palghar, where a spine surgeon performed posterior spine fixation surgery on his D10 to D12 vertebrae. The medical papers from the hospital said he had suffered a head-on fall from a height while participating in Dahi Handi. The surgery was performed two days after Thakur was taken away from Relieef Hospital.

After the incident snowballed into a major controversy, Gharat surrendered to the police on September 7 and was initially remanded in police custody for a day. His police custody was subsequently extended twice, until September 16.

On Wednesday, when he was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class Sujata Bandal, the court remanded him in judicial custody.

Rohit Gavit, son of local MLA Rajendra Gavit, and 12 Govindas were arrested on September 11.

The court also extended the police custody of eight other Shiv Sena functionaries and one other accused, who were arrested on September 13, until September 18.