Cop beats up Sassoon hospital doctor; 450 doctors go on strike against the attack
Resident doctor beaten up by police constable. Cross complaints filed by both parties. The doctor suffered multiple injuries and witnesses say he was attacked first, but the constable alleges that the doctor started the scuffle.
An injured Dr. Karma Bhutiya. Image Courtesy: mid-day.com
A police constable attacked Dr. Karma Bhutiya, an orthopedic resident at Sassoon hospital Pune, reportedly because the doctor’s shoulder brushed against him. The beating left the doctor badly injured with various swellings and incidences of unconsciousness after the beating. He also developed cerebral edema later on.
Dr. Bhutiya lodged a complaint in this case at the Bund Garden police station. The police have booked the constable, identified as Shrikrishna Uttamrao Khokle, under sections 323, 332, 353 (causing obstruction in government work) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections of Maharashtra Medical Services Act 2010.
Khokle also registered a cross-complaint against Bhutiya and three other doctors of Sassoon hospital for allegedly beating him while he was in uniform and performing his duty.
The incident happened on Wednesday at around 8:30 pm, when Dr. Bhutiya was called to attend an emergency. In his complaint, Bhutiya stated that Khokle assaulted him with a stick. “I was taking rounds of the wards to check on patients, when the policeman called me after I brushed past him. I told him that I am a doctor and rushing to attend an emergency call in Ward 3. He held my collar, saying he is a policeman, then slapped me. Doctors present intervened and pulled him aside a few times, but he kept slapping me repeatedly. He also snatched the stick of a security guard and hit my hand,” Bhutiya stated. Khokle also threatened Bhutiya that he will have to bear the consequences and then left.
According to Khokle’s version of the incident, he was at the venue for the medical check-up of an accused. “As I left the ward, Bhutiya pushed me. I asked him to walk properly — he got angry and slapped me, pushing me down and punching me on the neck. My nameplate and two buttons were torn. The three other doctors joined in to abuse and threaten me, saying it would have been worse if I was not in uniform,” said Khokle. Police have charged the four with 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 (IPC).
Dr Dyaneshwar Halnor, secretary of MARD, Pune – under whose observation Bhutiya is now – alleged, “When the constable noticed witnesses (other resident doctors) shooting a video of the attack, he tore his own shirt in an attempt to cover up the one-sidedness of it. Later, we met Bund Garden police and demanded an FIR, which they delayed because it was against their own constable. After the complaint was registered, we were informed that he had also filed a cross-complaint against us. It is a false complaint and our witnesses will corroborate this.”
Sassoon hospital dean Ajay Chandanwale addresses a press conference on Thursday. Image source: Express photo by Tanmay Thombre
The incident prompted around 450 doctors of Sassoon hospital and BJ Medical College to go on a strike, considering this was the 11th such incident in last three months in the state. The strike was called off after the constable was suspended, but on the condition that he withdraw the false complaint that was lodged against Dr. Bhutiya and the three other doctors.
Sassoon dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale said, “Almost all the doctors in the hospital took part in the strike. It is a very unfortunate incident. Bhutiya is now out of danger, but has developed cerebral edema. The routine of the hospital has not been affected — all 33 surgeries scheduled since morning have been carried out and emergency services are being provided as well.”
Dr Sagar Mundada, state president of MARD, said, “Bhutiya is a senior resident, doing his masters in orthopaedic surgery. He did not raise his hand even in defence. At the time of the incident, he was talking on his phone and merely brushed past the cop. This triggered an argument, which spiraled into an attack. Bhutiya has suffered multiple bruises, swellings on his head, hand, chest, face, nose, neck and more. We demand that the constable take back his false complaint.”
Original Story: Pune Mirror, The Indian Express, www.mid-day.com
Image courtesy: www.mid-day.com, The Indian Express