Doctor, staff assaulted in Ahmednagar; 2 booked

NASHIK: A doctor who has created an ICU ward for Covid-19 patients in his private hospital in Ahmednagar was allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a 72-year-old patient who died around Wednesday midnight.
The Topkhana police station have registered a case against two suspects, who, they said, were not yet arrested as they were busy in the last rites of the deceased.
Deputy superintendent of police Vishal Dhume said this is the first case in Ahmednagar city where any medical professional has been attacked after the death of a Covid patient.Appropriate action will be taken against those involved in the incident, he added.
The doctor, Rahul Thokal (24), a resident of Sarol Kasar in Ahmednagar, has stated in his complaint that two relatives of the patient assaulted him and his staff, hurled abuses and even damaged the equipment in the ICU of the hospital, said police.
Police have registered cases under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code along with sections of The Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010.
According to police, Tanaji Gadakh, a resident of Takli Kazhi, Ahmednagar, was admitted to the private hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 on May 8.
The patient would often remove the oxygen and hence one of his relatives had been allowed to stay with him. The relative was, however, told to wait outside for some time around 11.30 pm on Wednesday because the doctors in the ICU were busy with other patients, said police.
Thokal was busy setting up the ventilator of another patient while another doctor was attending to a critical patient on the adjacent bed when the relative was told to wait outside, said police.
“Meanwhile, Gadakh removed the oxygen supply, following which the doctors quickly set things right but the patient became unconscious. We informed the relatives of the patient about the incident. About an hour later, the patient expired. This was also explained to the relatives,” the doctor has stated in the complaint.
However, the relatives of the patient allegedly created a ruckus at the hospital, throwing equipment at the doctor and other staff. The staff immediately called police.
The body of the deceased was handed over to his relatives, added police.