Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) corporator Ramesh Mhatre has been arrested in connection with the alleged assault of doctors and medical staff at Shastri Nagar Hospital, a civic facility operated by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Dombivli. Police registered a case against Mhatre and five others on Tuesday night, following which he was taken into custody from his residence on Wednesday.

The incident reportedly took place on the evening of July 6 after doctors at the hospital advised relatives of a newborn baby to shift the child to another medical facility. According to hospital officials, doctors Srishti Baviskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe recommended the transfer because the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital was full and the infant required suitable care.

Following the recommendation, the baby’s relatives contacted Mhatre, who allegedly arrived at the hospital along with associates. Video footage from the hospital that circulated on social media showed an altercation involving the corporator and medical staff. The footage appeared to show Mhatre approaching a woman doctor while she was holding a mobile phone and striking her hand, causing the phone to fall, before a confrontation involving other staff members followed.

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Hospital officials said staff members were left distressed after the incident, with doctor Vaibhav Salunkhe reportedly suffering injuries during the alleged assault. The incident triggered concern among medical professionals and renewed discussions about the safety of healthcare workers while performing their duties.

Mhatre, however, denied assaulting the doctor and rejected allegations against him. Speaking to NDTV, he claimed that he only hit the doctor’s phone because she was not responding to their concerns. He said his actions were intended to raise an issue related to the patient’s treatment and maintained that he had no reason to apologise.

The mother of doctor Srishti Baviskar, Sangeeta Baviskar, welcomed Mhatre’s arrest but called for transparency in the investigation. She said her daughter had acted professionally while explaining the medical situation and stressed that healthcare workers should be allowed to perform their responsibilities without facing violence. The police investigation into the case is ongoing.

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