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Sena-battered Thane hospital may be shut down

A hospital in suburban Thane that was nearly razed by rampaging mobs of the Shiv Sena in August is unlikely to reopen in a move that will affect thousands in this industrial town.

Sena activists had attacked the Sunitidevi Singhania hospital owned by the J K Singhania group of companies after Anand Dighe, a local party leader, died there of a heart attack.

The mob had attacked the hospital staff, including doctors, damaged medical equipment worth millions and even set the building ablaze. They also damaged a textile showroom and an aircraft belonging to the Singhanias.

Indications about the hospital's imminent closure came from the group's officials who told local newspapers they would soon begin laying off the hospital's 400-odd employees.

The officials said even if the company were to decide to reconstruct the hospital, getting the premises back in shape would take at least six months.

The industrial house has estimated that it would cost about Rs 700 million to rebuild the hospital.

Earlier, group chairman Vijaypat Singhania had told local media that imported cardiac care equipment worth Rs 250 million had been thrown out of windows and destroyed by Shiv Sena activists.

The Singhanias had demanded compensation from the Shiv Sena for the damage, but were turned down by Uddhav Thackeray, son of the party's founder Bal Thackeray, who said the hospital was already covered by insurance.

Indo-Asian News Service

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