2 days, 2 doctors attacked

Patients' relatives arrested for assault, face up to 3 years' imprisonment under new law

Barely within two days of the assembly on Friday passing the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institution (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010, that makes attacks on doctors a non-bailable offence, two doctors were assaultedu00a0at Sassoon hospital by patients' relatives.

According to a police complaint lodged with the Bund Garden police, Dr Shivaji Marella (26), who was on duty in the casualty ward, was hit by a patient's relatives on Saturday night. In the second incident on Sunday, a woman doctor was abused.

Aggressive relatives
"I was working when a patient's relatives walked in. I was not treating that patient," said Marella. "They started abusing and shouting that their patient was not getting proper treatment. When I tried to calm them down, they got violent and assaulted us."

Two people were arrested in connection with the case.

Next day Marellau00a0 had to face an irate mob again.

"We were in the casualty when a few extremely drunk men walked in. One person from their group had met with an accident and the others started creating a nuisance. An on-duty lady officer, Dr Chavde, had to face their ire as they abused her and also started hurling furniture towards her," he said.

Guards thrashed
A few security guards of the hospital, who tried to intervene, were also beaten up by the men who are now under arrest.

Dr Arun Jamkar, dean of Sassoon Hospital, said that despite deploying 90 guards for security, such incidents are yet to cease.

"We really need to work out a solution, things are getting too much out of hand," said Jamkar.

Meanwhile, doctors at the casualty have demanded additional security to be posted besides restrictions on entry of patients' relatives in large numbers.