After scuffle with police at Sassoon hospital, doctors go on strike
Pune, October 15 : After a group of resident doctors and a policeman clashed over a petty issue at the state government run Sassoon General Hospital on Wednesday night, Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has called a strike.
Meanwhile both sides have lodged complaints against each other at local Bundgarden police station.
As per the complaint of police constable Shrikrishna Khokle (28) of Samarth police station he was manhandled by four doctors – Dr Karma Bhutia, Dr Wasim Kazi, Dr Kapil Sejpal and Dr Balaji Salunkhe.
The incident took place around 8.50 pm in the corridor outside ward no. 14.
In his FIR Khokle stated that he had come to the hospital for medical check up of an accused. “I was coming out of the ward when Dr Bhutia pushed me. I asked him to walk properly and he got angry saying tu dekh ke nahi chal sakta. He also slapped me and pushed me down and punched on the neck. My nameplate and two shirt buttons were also broken. Meanwhile other three doctors also abused me and threatened me saying agar tu police uniform me nahi hota to aur marte. Tu bahar nikal fir dekhte hain,” Khokle stated.
Police have charged the four doctors for offences under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging duty), 353 (obstructing a public servant from discharging his official duty), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
On the other hand, Dr Bhutia in his complaint said that Khokle assaulted him with a stick too. “I was taking round of wards for checking patients. At ward 14, the policeman called me Ae idhar aa. Tujhe thik se chalne nahi aata. Andha hai kya. Mujhe dhaka kyu Mara. I told him that I am a doctor here and rushing to attend emergency call in ward no. 3. He held my caller saying agar tu doctor hai to mai v police hu. Uniform se samajhta nhi kya.He slapped me. The doctors present intervened and pulled him aside 3-4 times but he was not listening to them and slapped 4-5 times. He also snatched stick of security guard and hit on my hand saying ab barabar huwa,” Dr Bhutia said in his complaint.
On Bhutia’s complaint, police have charged constable Khokle for offences under sections 323,332,353 of the IPC and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Medical Services Persons and Medical Institutions
(Prevention of Violence & Damages or Loss of Property)
Act.
No arrests have been made yet.
Hundreds of doctors have gone on strike. “Except emergency cases, all other doctors have joined the strike. We have called indefinite strike till arrest and suspension of constable Khokle,” a MARD member said.
#police Sasoon Hospital (BJMC) Pune #MARD Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors #strike #hospital #doctors
