Mumbai: A male gynaecologist running a private practice in Sangvi, Pune was allegedly assaulted with a sickle on Saturday night after he refused to terminate the pregnancy of a woman, 20, based on a suspicion that the foetus was over 20 weeks old. As per a Central law, doctors cannot terminate pregnancies that have crossed the 20-week mark.
The woman’s partner, Siddhart Suryawanshi, 21, who is an auto-rickshaw driver, had allegedly assaulted the doctor — Dr Amol Bidkar — with the help of a few associates.
The police has registered a case and arrested Suryawanshi from the Kirkee area on Sunday night. DCP Ganesh Shinde said, “We have nabbed the accused and he is in our custody.”
Talking to DC, Dr Bikar said that when Suryawanshi and the woman, who was in the fifth month of her pregnancy, approached him to carry out the illegal procedure at his clinic, Sakhi Maternity Centre, a fortnight ago, he refused.
“I have sustained injuries on my left shoulder and on three fingers of my left hand, which were wounded in the attack. I managed to pushed them away and fled,” he said.
