Shiv Sena's Ramesh Mhatre, arrested for assaulting doctors in Dombivli, gets bail

Published 14 July 2026 · health

A court in Maharashtra's Kalyan on Tuesday granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who was arrested for assaulting doctors and medical staff at

A court in Maharashtra's Kalyan on Tuesday granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who was arrested for assaulting doctors and medical staff at a civic-run hospital in Dombivli earlier this month. The court granted bail to Mhatre on a cash bond of Rs 50,000. Mhatre and three of his associates had been sent to judicial custody on July 13 after being arrested in connection with the assault case. Their counsel had moved a bail plea before the court, which was taken up subsequently. Read Full Story The case stems from an incident on the night of July 6 at the Shastri Nagar Hospital run by the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).

According to police, Mhatre and his aides allegedly assaulted two doctors and other hospital staff after the family of a newborn was advised to shift the infant to another medical facility due to a shortage of beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A video of the incident, which later went viral on social media, showed Mhatre slapping and punching doctor Vaibhav Salunkhe and striking resident medical officer Dr Srishti Baviskar on her hand. The footage triggered widespread outrage. Following public criticism and pressure from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), police registered a case against Mhatre and five others.

They were booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including assault on a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting. Mhatre was arrested on July 9. Soon after his arrest, he was admitted to the Thane District Civil Hospital after complaining of chest pain. Doctors said he suffers from high blood pressure and has only one kidney. A court had directed police to produce him once he was medically fit. The assault sparked protests by doctors and healthcare workers across the Kalyan-Dombivli region. Medical services at several civic and private hospitals were affected as healthcare professionals went on strike demanding better security and strict action against those involved.

The two doctors assaulted in the incident later submitted their resignations, with colleagues saying they were deeply shaken by the attack. The episode also drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde publicly reprimanded Mhatre, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded stringent action and called for his removal from party and public posts. Ends