Doctor assaulted for numbering stampede victims' bodies

Two persons on Saturday allegedly assaulted a senior doctor at the KEM hospital in Parel to protest the hospital’s action of marking numbers on the bodies of the Elphinstone station stampede victims, police said.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening when the duo, believed to be Shiv Sena workers, assaulted the forensic science head of the KEM hospital, a senior police official said.

“The two barged into the cabin of Dr Hari Pathak and assaulted him. One of the accused, who brought a sketch pen with him tried to write a number on Pathak’s forehead,” he said.

The two accused have been detained. A case under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code will be registered, the officer said.

“We have found membership identity-card of the Shiv Sena from one of the accused. We suspect that a few more persons are involved in the assault,” he said, adding a probe was on.

Authorities at the KEM hospital had come in for severe criticism for marking numbers on the bodies of the Elphinstone station stampede victims and putting up their pictures on public display.

Image: Police officials stand outside KEM Hospital. Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com