Thane doctor resigns after assault by Shiv Sena corporator

A doctor has resigned and left the city of Thane, citing fear for his safety after he and other medical staff were allegedly assaulted by a local politician and his supporters at a public hospital in Dombivli earlier this week. The incident, captured on video, has sparked widespread protests by healthcare workers across Maharashtra and intensified demands for stronger legal protections.

The altercation occurred on July 6 at Shastri Nagar Hospital, a facility operated by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. According to hospital officials, doctors advised the family of a newborn, who required specialized care, to transfer the infant to another hospital as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit had no available beds. The family then contacted Ramesh Mhatre, a municipal corporator from the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Mhatre arrived at the hospital with several associates. Surveillance footage widely circulated online shows the group arguing with staff before allegedly turning violent. The video appears to show Mhatre and his supporters punching and slapping doctors and nurses. One male doctor, a 26-year-old resident medical officer, stated he was...