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Shiv Sena's Ramesh Mhatre breaks silence on viral hospital assault video: 'Didn't raise hand, never hit female doc'
The corporator added that the altercation stemmed from the doctor allegedly failing to listen to the grievance and talking on the phone.
Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, on Wednesday, issued a statement regarding the alleged assault on two doctors and nurses at Shashtri Nagar Hospital.
In a statement, Mhatre has addressed the assault charges and stated that he did not raise his hand to attack the female doctor.
"I regret the physical altercation that took place. I state with full confidence that I did not raise my hand against the female doctor. What appears in the CCTV footage might look that way due to the camera angle," the Shinde Sena corporator told ANI.
The corporator added that the altercation stemmed from the doctor allegedly failing to listen to the grievance and talking on the phone.
"We have been guided by Balasaheb's teachings; we have never raised a hand against women, nor will we ever do so in the future. This incident occurred due to systemic shortcomings within the hospital; we will strive to address these deficiencies," he added further.
Case filed against Mhatre
As per police, a case was registered on Tuesday night against Ramesh Mhatre, and five others, following outrage and pressure from the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
A case has been registered against the corporator, his four male supporters, and a woman under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(1) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 189(2) (unlawful assembly) and 191(2) (rioting), police said told PTI.
What is the case?
Two contractual doctors, Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe and Dr Shrusti Baviskar, and two nurses, Namita Ubale and Dravya Giri, working at Dombivli’s Shastri Nagar General Hospital, were allegedly assaulted by Mhatre and his five associates on Monday.
The altercation happened after the doctors referred a pregnant woman to Sion hospital for her delivery due to no space in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) wing.
The assault of Dr Salunkhe and Dr Baviskar was caught on camera, and they alleged that Mhatre verbally abused them without understanding the medical circumstances first.
Two nurses, Namita Ubale and Dravya Giri, who intervened to protect the doctors, were also subject to assault.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
