Doctors assaulted twice in 24 hours at MGM Medical College Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, MARD warns of statewide agitation

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a shocking series of violence against medical professionals, two doctors were attacked at the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Medical College and Hospital.

First, a pediatric resident doctor at Mahatma Gandhi Mission Medical College and Hospital (MGM Medical college and hospital) was allegedly assaulted by patient relatives in the postnatal ward; then within the next 24 hours, a medicine resident doctor was attacked in the casualty department.

Condemning the violence, Central Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said that these repeated assaults clearly indicate a grave failure of hospital security systems and are not isolated incidents, but a reflection of systemic negligence. The association warned of statewide agitation if immediate corrective steps are not taken.

Explaining the first incident, a senior doctor from the paediatrics department told Medical Dialogues that a junior resident, during routine rounds in the postnatal ward, examined a newborn and found the baby to be icteric. The doctor advised the family that the baby needed admission to the NICU. Following this, the relatives started creating trouble and began verbally abusing the doctor.

When another co-resident was called to help, the relatives misbehaved with him as well, leading to an argument. Senior residents and security were informed, and the situation was somehow brought under control. However, the relatives continued to create disturbances over the next two days.

Eventually, the baby was admitted to the NICU and was treated. The baby was discharged after around three days. On the day of discharge (April 28), when another junior doctor who is reported to be the victim in the alleged assault was taking rounds in the postnatal ward, the baby’s mother and grandmother again started abusing him without any provocation.

The senior doctor said the junior did not respond and tried to avoid confrontation. "He did not say anything, but after things started getting out of hand, he called me. I went, and I also tried to calm them down, but they were saying that the two of my juniors with whom they had argued on the first day were still very upset with them, and they'll go and file complaints against them, etc. So then they started clicking these videos of him. They were behaving very rashly. I thought that it was not safe for him there, so I asked him to leave the ward," he added.

However, while he was leaving, the baby’s mother slapped him. Immediately after, the grandmother and the baby’s father joined in and started physically assaulting him.

The senior doctor present at the spot intervened and tried to rescue the junior. While taking him away, the relatives again caught up with them near the ward entrance and continued the assault. The doctor somehow managed to free him and rushed him to the NICU.

In another separate incident within 24 hours (April 29), a medicine resident doctor was assaulted in the casualty department. A patient had been brought dead. The on-duty doctor examined the patient, performed CPR, and informed the relatives that the patient had no signs of life on arrival and could not be revived.

The relatives became angry, claimed that the patient was fine before reaching the hospital, and then physically attacked the doctor.

"After the incident, all of us, residents, spoke to our departments, and then we discussed the matter with the dean, the medical superintendent, and other authorities. We let the management know that we did not find this to be a suitable working environment, and we were scared for our lives. So we told them all the security measures and other things that we wanted, and we've given them a few days to get all the changes done. The authorities were quite supportive."

Following this, the doctors, with support from the administration, filed an FIR at the police station, and an investigation is underway. 

Raising serious concerns, Central MARD has demanded 

1. Strict Access Control: Immediate enforcement of a “One Patient – One Relative” policy across all departments

2. Enhanced Security: Deployment of adequately trained security staff, especially in high-risk areas like casualty and ICUs

3. Security Infrastructure: Installation of CCTV coverage in all areas and panic alarm systems for healthcare workers

4. Legal Action: Immediate FIR under the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence) Act against all perpetrators.

The association stated that unrestricted entry of attendants into sensitive areas, lack of trained and adequate security personnel and absence of effective surveillance and emergency response systems are major concerns. 

"The Central MARD (Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors) strongly condemns the shocking and unacceptable incidents of violence against resident doctors at Mahatma Gandhi Mission Medical College and Hospital (MGM MCH), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which occurred on April 28 and April 29, 2026. Resident doctors serve at the frontline of healthcare, often under extreme pressure. Expecting them to deliver critical care in an environment where their personal safety is compromised is unacceptable," mentioned the press release. 

Commenting on this, Dr Suyash Dhavane, General Secretary, Central MARD and National Secretary, FAIMA, told Medical Dialogues, "Security at the workplace is a basic right of every doctor. The back-to-back assaults on resident doctors at MGM MCH, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, clearly reflect serious systemic failures in hospital security. Doctors cannot be expected to deliver quality care in an environment of fear and vulnerability. Immediate action, strict accountability, and robust security measures must be ensured without delay. Violence against doctors is unacceptable under any circumstances."

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