Three doctors at Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital were violently assaulted by a patient’s relative in the early hours of Saturday, November 8, 2025, triggering mass protests and threats of citywide strikes across all BMC-run hospitals if security measures are not strengthened by Monday evening.
Brutal Attack in Emergency Ward
Dr. Gaurav Anandgaonkar (25), a casualty medical officer, along with intern Dr. Prashant Bhadke and resident Dr. Karan Desai were attacked by Sameer Abdul Jabbar Shaikh (35) after his 57-year-old mother, Sajeeda Shaikh, was declared dead at approximately 12:30 AM. The patient, an Andheri resident with a history of heart problems, was brought to the hospital around midnight in critical condition with difficulty breathing and unrecordable blood pressure.
Despite immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) attempts by the medical team, the patient’s pulse rate failed to improve, and an ECG showed a flat line, confirming her death. According to the complaint filed by Dr. Anandgaonkar, Shaikh had been threatening the doctors throughout the treatment process, warning them of “dire consequences” if his mother could not be revived.
CCTV footage captured the moment Shaikh charged at the doctors, striking Dr. Anandgaonkar repeatedly on the face, assaulting Dr. Bhadke, and causing blunt trauma to Dr. Karan’s face, eyes, chest, and abdomen when he attempted to intervene. Hospital security guards and relatives eventually restrained the attacker.
Immediate Response and Protests
Following the assault, resident doctors and interns at Cooper Hospital observed mass casual leave on Saturday. Over 300 doctors and interns staged a peaceful protest at the hospital’s OPD gate, demanding immediate action. The BMC MARD (Medical Association of Resident Doctors) issued an ultimatum: if robust security measures are not implemented by 5 PM on Monday, November 10, resident doctors across all BMC hospitals—including KEM, Sion, Nair, and Cooper—will go on mass leave, suspending all non-emergency services.
The Juhu Police registered an FIR against Shaikh under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010. However, authorities released the accused after serving him a notice, with police stating that Shaikh claimed the doctors showed negligence and delayed treatment.
Systemic Security Failures Exposed
Dr. Chinmay Kelkar, president of BMC MARD, condemned the “inhumane and unacceptable” attack and highlighted chronic security vulnerabilities at municipal hospitals. “Despite repeated warnings about security gaps, no preventive measures were taken. The security personnel on site barely intervened,” he stated. The Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) noted that Cooper Hospital relies only on contractual security guards who offer minimal protection.
Dr. Prashant Bhadke, one of the victims, expressed his fear: “After we were unable to revive the patient, he hit the CMO, and then punched me on my face, chest and abdomen before attacking Dr. Karan. It was frightening. I do not want to go through this again”. All three doctors sustained facial and head injuries, with Dr. Gaurav suffering swelling around the eye.
Comprehensive Security Demands
MARD and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have proposed a detailed security reform plan that includes 24/7 deployment of trained, preferably armed, marshal or MSF personnel in critical departments like casualty, ICU, and OBGY wards. Additional demands include controlled access points in emergency zones, functional panic alarms with rapid response teams, full CCTV coverage with real-time monitoring and 30-day data backup, regular safety audits, and monthly review meetings with MARD representatives.
The medical associations also demanded immediate arrest of the assailant under the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons Act, suspension of negligent security staff who failed to respond, and urgent upgrades in working and living conditions, including clean on-call rooms, better canteens, and hygienic residential quarters. Doctors have also reiterated their demand for a 2% dearness allowance hike with arrears.
Alarming National Crisis
This incident highlights a growing crisis of violence against healthcare workers in India. According to research published in 2023, up to 75% of doctors in India have experienced some form of workplace violence, with studies showing that 80.4% of resident doctors had encountered violence. Between 2016 and April 2021, Maharashtra alone registered 674 cases of violence against doctors, yet only five convictions were secured.
The Maharashtra government has maintained that existing legal provisions, including the 2010 Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons Act, are sufficient to address violence against doctors. The Act prescribes imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of Rs 50,000 for those convicted of assaults on medical staff. However, medical professionals argue that enforcement remains inadequate, with Dr. Raju Varyani of IMA Pune noting that of 1,318 persons booked for violence against healthcare staff in five years, only five were convicted.
A 2024 Indian Medical Association survey revealed that 35% of doctors, predominantly women, feel unsafe during night shifts, with many considering carrying weapons for self-defense. The survey of 3,885 doctors found that 45% lacked access to duty rooms during night shifts, and many available facilities suffered from overcrowding, lack of privacy, and missing locks.
Following the outcry over the Cooper Hospital assault, the BMC’s chief security officer deployed additional guards for all three shifts, and the medical superintendent held an emergency meeting with MARD and other medical associations. However, doctors remain adamant that without comprehensive security reforms by Monday’s deadline, they will proceed with citywide strikes that could severely disrupt healthcare services across Mumbai’s municipal hospital system.
