PALGHAR, Sept. 7 -- A dispute over the discharge of injured Govindas and payment of their hospital bill turned violent early Saturday when Shiv Sena functionaries, including the party's Palghar district and city chiefs, verbally abused and threatened hospital staff, slapped a receptionist and entered the restricted ICU of a private hospital. The police have booked 17 people, including district chief Kundan Sankhe, city chief Rahul Gharat and Rohit Gavit, son of local MLA Rajendra Gavit. The incident comes nearly two months after a doctor was allegedly assaulted by Dombivli corporator Ramesh Mhatre on July 6. According to police officers, the incident took place at around 1.15 am at Relieef Hospital in Palghar, where five Govindas injured while attempting to break a Dahi Handi organised by Shiv Sena were undergoing treatment. According to the complaint and hospital staff, the trouble began after the troupe head of injured Govinda Keshav Thakur sought his discharge around midnight. The attending medical officer reportedly said Thakur was still under treatment and could be discharged only after the consultant's consent. A bill of Rs.19,866 had been raised for the treatment of five injured Govindas, of which Rs.10,000 had been paid by a representative of the Dahi Handi organisers. Sankhe, Gharat and other party workers subsequently arrived at the hospital and sought an explanation from the doctors about the scans conducted on the injured. Dr Lizi Mole, a medical officer in the casualty department, explained that scans were necessary in cases involving head injuries. A heated argument followed, with hospital staff alleging that the Shiv Sena workers threatened to vandalise the hospital and abused the doctors. CCTV footage from the hospital captures the altercation, including Gharat allegedly slapping receptionist Vivek Zinga on the left side of his face. The group, along with members of the Govinda troupe, then allegedly entered the ICU, a restricted area where three other patients were admitted. Staff nurse Manisha Shengar alleged in the police complaint that she was threatened with the removal of patients' IV lines. Four patients were subsequently taken out of the hospital. The injured Govindas had been admitted to Relief Hospital after the Dahi Handi event organised outside the Shiv Sena Palghar District Central Office. The human pyramid formations began after 7 pm on September 5, with Shiv Sena MLA Rajendra Gavit, Palghar Municipal Council Mayor Uttam Gharat and several party leaders attending the event organised by Sankhe and his team. Omkar Kalwadkar, 19, a Virar resident, was admitted to the ICU at 10.15pm with a head injury. Four other Govindas were admitted subsequently for various injuries. Thakur was suffering from a spine injury and underwent an MRI at a private radiology centre near the hospital. Sankhe, when contacted, said the dispute arose because the hospital was allegedly refusing to discharge Govindas who had sustained only minor injuries. He said he had paid Rs.10,000 before midnight to facilitate the discharge of an injured member of a Virar-based Govinda pathak. He added that a minor altercation occurred when he later visited the hospital to make inquiries after members of other troupes raised similar complaints. The Palghar police have booked Sankhe, Gharat, Gavit, Manish Sankhe, Sairaj Patil, Rahul Sankhe, Manoj Gharat, Nilam Sankhe, Shubham Bandhiwadekar, Vrushab Vare and seven unidentified persons. The accused have been booked under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing simple hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 among other sections of BNS. The Indian Medical Association's Boisar branch, represented by president Dr Milan Kamat and secretary Dr Prakash Babu, expressed concern over the incident and urged the administration to take preventive measures to ensure the safety of hospital staff and prevent such incidents from recurring. Despite repeated attempts, Shiv Sena could not be reached for comments on the issue....