Teenage patient assaults nurse at BMC-run Bhabha Hospital, health workers demand better security

After some time, the girl returned with her parents and brother, who verbally abused Mhatre. The situation escalated when the young patient slapped Mhatre.

The nurses subsequently went on a flash strike demanding action against the accused and requested enhanced security measures in hospital wards.

According to the police, a case had been filed at the Kurla police station under Section 353 (assaulting or using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the accused was not arrested as she was a minor and was being treated somewhere else. Mhatre reportedly withdrew the case after the accused apologised to her.

“The security force at the hospital is outsourced on a contractual basis and the guards are often not well-trained which makes us feel vulnerable, especially when we are on night duties,” said a senior nurse at Bhabha Hospital.

The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Padmashri Ahire, confirmed that the hospital management has submitted a proposal to the BMC requesting improved security measures.

Dr Sudhakar Shinde, additional municipal commissioner of the health department, said, “The incident has been taken critically and we are working on advancing the security measures not only in Bhabha Hospital but also across all BMC hospitals.”