KEM doctors on strike after patient’s kin beat up doctor

Relatives of a patient, who died of renal failure, beat up Dr Tushar Thakate, 25, a resident doctor at KEM Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, alleged doctors at the hospital.

Relatives of a patient, who died of renal failure, beat up Dr Tushar Thakate, 25, a resident doctor at KEM Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, alleged doctors at the hospital.

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The incident has angered resident doctors at the hospital and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were suspended till late in the evening.

“The patient died of renal failure. There was nothing a doctor could have done to save her life. This is not a case of medical negligence,” said a resident doctor from KEM Hospital, who is also a member of Maharashtra Resident Doctors’ Association (MARD).

“Most of us work long hours without breaks to serve patients. Why are we treated like this? If the accused is not arrested by the police by Wednesday, we will go strike,” he added.

The incident occurred at about 2.30 pm near the entrance of a general ward when four relatives of the patient, Mangala Lekhande, 55, allegedly approached Dr Thakate and started beating him up.

Thakate sustained serious injuries and his nose and ears were hurt and is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Dr N.D Bhonsale, deputy dean, KEM Hospital said that the hospital is investigating the matter.

“We have reported the incident to the police,” he said.

DCP Zone IV Sanjay Baviskar said, “ We have registered a case against the patients son and other relatives who allegedly beat up the doctors

at KEM hospital under section 353 (Criminal force on public servant to discharge his duty) and 323(Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and other section of the IPC.”

Baviskar added, “ There will be an in house enquiry into the allegations of the family members, and action would be taken depending on the result of the inquiry.”