Mumbai: Relatives of a 19-year-old patient allegedly assaulted a nurse and three security guards at KEM Hospital in Parel early Tuesday, hours after the teenager succumbed to liver failure.
Police have registered a case against four family members, though hospital staff said around 14–15 people were involved in the violence. The deceased, Ganesh Kolekar from Sangli, had been admitted for nearly a month and was awaiting a donor liver. Doctors had earlier informed the family that his condition was critical and that finding a suitable organ could be difficult.
Following his death late Monday night, hospital authorities completed formalities and moved the body to the mortuary. Around 5.30am on Tuesday, a group of relatives allegedly returned to the hospital and turned violent.
Nurse Tejaswini Patil (34) sustained injuries near her eye and to her hand during the assault. Two male security guards and one female guard were also injured. Hospital officials said the attackers abused staff and obstructed them from carrying out their duties.
In her complaint, Patil named four individuals, including Gayabai Sawant, Baliram Sawant and Babasaheb Jadhav, along with an unidentified woman, accusing them of physical assault and intimidation.
According to Bhoiwada Police, a case has been filed under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to assault on a public servant and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace. Sections of the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions Act, which criminalise violence against healthcare workers, have also been invoked.
Hospital staff later staged a protest demanding strict action against those responsible. The injured nurse underwent a CT scan, which was reported normal, and is expected to be discharged soon.
