Pune Shock: Sassoon Hospital Guard Assaulted During Security Breach, Two Booked
Pune Shock: Sassoon Hospital Guard Assaulted During Security Breach, Two Booked
A tense situation erupted at Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital on the afternoon of July 15, when two visitors — a man and a woman — were booked by Bund Garden Police for allegedly assaulting a security guard and vandalising hospital property near Ward No. 40. The incident caused considerable disturbance within the hospital premises, raising concerns over the safety of staff and infrastructure.
The complaint was lodged by 27-year-old security guard Sandeep Dnyanoba Jadhav, a resident of Sada Anand Nagar in Mangalwar Peth. According to his statement, the accused – identified as Swapnil Barku Dhangar and Rani Baburao Patil, both aged 25 and residents of Manjri, Hadapsar – arrived at the hospital around 1 PM with the intention of meeting a relative who was admitted there. Jadhav informed them that entry was restricted outside of official visiting hours, which led to an aggressive outburst from the pair.
What began as a simple disagreement escalated quickly into chaos. As per the police report, the accused began shouting and disrupting the hospital environment. When asked to calm down, they allegedly manhandled the security guard and his colleagues, hurled verbal abuse, and physically assaulted them with a stick. In the midst of the commotion, the glass door to Ward No. 40 was shattered, and an ECG machine inside was reportedly damaged.
Authorities have charged the duo with obstruction of official duties and destruction of public property. A formal case has been registered under relevant sections, and both Dhangar and Patil have been issued notices as part of the ongoing investigation. Sub-Inspector Chavan from the Bund Garden Police Station is currently handling the probe.
This incident comes shortly after the recent establishment of a dedicated police outpost on the Sassoon Hospital premises – a move initiated by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar to improve security following past reports of attacks on medical staff and unruly behavior from patients’ relatives. The outpost, inaugurated just last month, was expected to deter such disturbances by ensuring a stronger law enforcement presence within the hospital.
Despite these new security measures, the latest episode highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining order in a high-pressure environment like a public hospital. As the investigation unfolds, hospital authorities and law enforcement are likely to re-evaluate current protocols and enforcement strategies to ensure such incidents do not recur.
