WARDHA: A man accompanying a police team slapped a woman doctor during a medical examination at a primary health centre in Maharashtra's Wardha district, prompting government doctors to stage a protest, an official said on Friday.




The incident took place on Wednesday at the Talegaon Shyamji Pant Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ashti taluka.




Talegaon police station in-charge Mangesh Bhoyar said a five-member police team brought the accused, Qadir Ali, to the facility for a medico-legal examination on Wednesday after he sustained injuries in a separate incident.




During the examination, Ali suddenly slapped Dr Shraddha Bhumre in full view of the police personnel, Bhoyar said.




The assault angered government doctors, who staged a protest demanding strict action against the accused. They also questioned how five police personnel present at the facility had failed to prevent the attack.




Police have registered a case against Ali under Section 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Maharashtra Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions Act, 2010.




An investigation into the incident is underway, the official added.




The assault comes amid a growing list of attacks on healthcare personnel across Maharashtra.




On July 6, an incident occurred at Shastri Nagar Hospital after the family members of a pregnant woman accused hospital staff of delaying treatment.




Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's corporator Ramesh Mhatre and four others gathered at the hospital and assaulted doctors following an argument over the alleged delay in treatment.




Police booked the corporator, and a chargesheet was subsequently filed. The Bombay High Court granted him bail, but the Supreme Court rejected it last month.




"The message should go out loud and clear that the medical fraternity cannot be touched. They serve people and cannot be attacked in this manner," a bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta had said in its order.




The Supreme Court had also taken note of a similar attack on hospital staff in Palghar on September 5 during the Dahi Handi celebrations, in which members of the same party were involved. Police booked 17 Shiv Sena workers in connection with the case.



(With inputs from PTI)