3 Associates Of Shiv Sena Corporator Arrested After Assault On Woman Doctor, Staff At Thane Hospital

Last Updated:July 08, 2026, 12:33 IST

Three accused have been arrested in the KDMC doctor assault case, while police are set to record another victim's statement as the investigation into the hospital attack continues.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the assault on doctors and medical staff at a Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane district, a case that triggered outrage among the medical fraternity and political circles.

The arrested accused have been identified as Akshay Karande, Ramesh Pawar and Shailesh Nikam.

According to information available, all three were allegedly present along with Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre during the assault at the civic-run Shastri Nagar Hospital.

Police are also likely to record the statement of another of those assaulted as part of the ongoing investigation.

The development comes hours after a video, widely shared on social media, showed doctors being assaulted at the hospital.

DOCTORS WERE ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED AFTER REFERRING NEWBORN

According to news agency PTI, the incident took place on Monday evening at the KDMC-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Kalyan after doctors Srishti Bawiskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe advised the relatives of a newborn to shift the baby to another medical facility due to the unavailability of beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Police said the family members allegedly contacted corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who reached the hospital with his associates.

The group allegedly abused and assaulted the two doctors, with Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe sustaining injuries during the incident.

The assault was captured on video, which later went viral on social media. The footage purportedly showed the corporator hitting the doctors, leading to widespread criticism.

PROTESTS LED TO FIR AGAINST CORPORATOR, ASSOCIATES

PTI reported that KDMC Medical Health Officer Dr Deepa Shukla, along with hospital staff, approached the police late on Monday night. However, an FIR was not registered immediately.

The delay sparked protests from hospital employees, who staged a “work-stop" agitation demanding action against those responsible. Representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) from Kalyan and Dombivli, along with civic workers’ unions, also met KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal.

The IMA warned that all private clinics and hospitals in the region would shut down on Wednesday if police failed to register an FIR and arrest the accused.

Following mounting pressure, police registered a case on Tuesday night against corporator Ramesh Mhatre, four male supporters and a woman under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of 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).

CORPORATOR DENIES ASSAULT, BLAMES CAMERA ANGLE

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre denied allegations that he assaulted women doctors or nurses, claiming the CCTV footage may have created a misleading impression.

“I express regret over the incident of assault 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," Mhatre said at a press conference, according to ANI.

He added, “I address her informally (using ‘tu’) because she is like a daughter to me. I am not even aware of whether she is married or not. While we were conversing, she kept talking on the phone and was not listening to our grievance; that is why I tapped her on the hand."

Claiming the issue stemmed from shortcomings in the hospital system, Mhatre further said, “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. The incident occurred due to systemic shortcomings within the hospital. We will strive to address those deficiencies."

“The individuals who prompted my visit there will provide further details regarding the entire incident. The people who had called me did not answer my calls. I arrived at the scene considering the gravity of the situation."

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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