All 23 accused in the attack at Relief Hospital in Palghar are now in custody after nine people linked to the case surrendered or were arrested on Sunday, according to a report by the Times of India. The accused were subsequently produced before the Palghar holiday sessions court, where the hearing continued late into the night.
The attack took place on September 5 after a dispute over the treatment of Govindas injured during the festival. Shiv Sena workers allegedly attacked hospital staff following the disagreement. The case initially named 17 accused, but the number was later increased as the police investigation progressed.
Fourteen accused had been arrested by Saturday, the report said. On Sunday morning, eight people who had been absconding surrendered at Palghar police station. Those named among the surrendering accused included suspended district chief Kundan Sankhe, Yuva Sena chief Sairaj Patil, Manish alias Vicky Sankhe, Rahul Sankhe, Rishabh Ware, corporator Neelam Sankhe and Manoj Gharat.
A driver identified as another accused in the case was also arrested, taking the reported total number of arrests to 23. The police had been pursuing the remaining accused after the hospital incident, and their surrender ended the period during which people named in the case remained absconding.
The case places a healthcare facility at the centre of an alleged assault involving a dispute over medical treatment. The reported sequence highlights how disagreements involving injured patients can quickly become a security issue for doctors, nurses, hospital employees and other patients. The account does not provide details of injuries to hospital staff, damage to the facility or the specific charges invoked against each accused.
The accused who surrendered on Sunday were arrested after presenting themselves at the police station. They were later taken before the Palghar holiday sessions court along with those arrested earlier in the investigation. The court proceedings continued until late Sunday night, according to the report.
The arrests mark the latest development in the case. The immediate legal process will now depend on the court proceedings and the investigation records submitted by the police. Further details on the next hearing and the charges against the accused were not available in the supplied report.
