Pulmonologist brutally attacked. Aggressor arrested
The doctor fights for his life in the ICU while the accused awaits interrogation
In a chilling development, Dr. Kailash Rathi, a leading pulmonologist from Nashik, India, is torn between life and death in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being attacked in a hospital in Maharashtra.
The attack, recorded by a CCTV camera, shows the attacker hitting the 49-year-old doctor around 18 times with a sickle during a monetary dispute on Friday night, February 23.
Dr Rathi, a chest and intensive care specialist, suffered multiple serious injuries to his head, neck and other parts of his body. He is in critical condition in the ICU of a local hospital. Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik claimed that the attack was a result of personal disputes.
The CCTV video shows the moment the attacker attacks the doctor, who was apparently talking on the phone and did not notice the attacker. Hospital staff intervened after the attacker left the doctor's cabin, alerted by an employee.
Rajendra More, the assailant, was arrested by the Panchavati police on Saturday night and is in custody. More's wife, a former colleague of the doctor, has also been arrested due to the complaint filed by the victim's wife.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the law, including attempt to murder and possession of weapons. According to police sources, the attacker's wife had been dismissed from Dr Rathi's hospital for misappropriation of funds, leading to an outstanding debt of Rs 12 lakh.
The scheduled interrogation of the accused is expected to provide more information about what happened.