How the doctors’ strike began: A Dhule civil hospital, an angry family, two dead sons

It all began at 10.30 pm that night, when Chaitram and Pradeep Vetal (24) were riding a motorbike on the Surat bypass road. They met with an accident and Chaitram sustained a serious head injury. He was bleeding from the nose, mouth and ears. Pradeep and other relatives rushed Chaitram to the Dhule Civil Hospital. The family claims Chaitram’s treatment was delayed by five-and-half hours.

Chatham died later that night, after which the family is alleged to have assaulted Dr Mhamunkar. Two days later, a guilt-ridden Pradeep committed suicide in jail.

“The civil hospital is newly constructed and all patients from nearby villages go there. Where else could we go?” said Deepak Vetal, Chaitram’s brother-in-law. The 500-bed hospital has procured CT scan, MRI and X-ray machines, but that night the family was told no tests could be carried out.

“They told us to go to some other hospital. We only asked the doctor to give us in writing why he can’t conduct CT scan. He refused to give us anything in writing,” Deepak claims.

From 10.30 pm for the next five-and-half hours, the family rushed Chaitram from the civil hospital to Siddheshwar and later to Seva Hospital, where he was declared dead minutes before a surgery could be conducted. In anger, Dr Mhamunkar was beaten up by a mob of 20, all relatives of Chaitram and Vetal. According to the family, however, the doctors also abused and thrashed four family members and locked two others in a side room. “All that has not been released in CCTV footage,” Deepak claims, adding, “We did assault the doctor, but over frustration over lack of medical facilities. Why is no one blaming the hospital?”

Chaitram was a driver in Dhule, whose parents are no more. He lived with his elder brother Yashwant Shivaji, also a driver. Pradeep Vetal, his cousin, was the only graduate in their village in Vadarwala. He was about to leave for Hyderabad for a job interview.

“Pradeep’s mother washes utensils to earn a living. The family was relying on his job for a better living,” Deepak adds.

The family says they realised Dr Mhamunkar was badly injured and visited him in Seva Hospital. “I even told the doctor we were sorry things got out of hand, but he refused to talk to me,” Deepak claims.

Dr Mhamunkar sustained an eye injury and abrasions all over his body. He is currently admitted in Thane’s Jupiter hospital.

On March 13, nine members of Lashkar’s family were arrested. A day later, Pradeep hung himself using a blanket in jail premises. “We lost two sons. Who will account for them?” Pradeep’s mother Neemabai says. She lives in Pune, where she was informed about his death much later.

As the eight remaining accused remain in prison, with no money for bail, they say responsibility for Chaitram’s death must be fixed. “If he had been treated right then in the civil hospital, he could have been saved,” Deepak adds.