14 Arrested in Palghar Hospital Violence Case, Including MLA Rajendra Gavit’s Son

Fourteen more people, including the son of an MLA and 12 ‘govindas’, have been arrested in connection with the Palghar hospital violence case, taking the total number of arrests to 15, police said on Friday.

The arrests stem from an incident at Relief Hospital in Palghar in the early hours of September 6, when a mob allegedly comprising Shiv Sena functionaries entered the facility following an argument over medical bills of injured ‘govindas’ who had been brought there for treatment after a Dahi Handi event.

According to police, the mob allegedly assaulted a receptionist, abused a doctor and entered the ICU, where they attempted to forcibly take away one of the injured persons.

Police subsequently registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act. The accused face charges including assault, criminal intimidation, trespass, unlawful assembly and other offences.

Investigators have identified 22 persons through CCTV footage in connection with the incident. Shiv Sena Palghar city chief Rahul Gharat was arrested on September 7 and was later suspended from the party.

A police official said 14 people were arrested on Friday, including Rohit Gavit, son of MLA Rajendra Gavit. He will be produced before a court on Saturday, the official said.

The 12 arrested ‘govindas’ were produced before a local court and remanded in police custody until September 13.

Meanwhile, the anticipatory bail applications of three other accused suspended former district chief Kundan Balkrishna Sankhe, corporator Neelamkumar Sankhe and driver Shubham Bandivdekar will be heard on September 15.

The police action comes amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged assault and unauthorised entry into the hospital, with further arrests possible as investigators examine CCTV footage and gather evidence.