"I have resigned because there is a lot of fear. Goons are watching us, and I have already left the city. They are very dangerous people. The other doctors may continue working there, but I cannot. I will not go back there again," NDTV quoted Salunkhe as saying.

KDMC denies receiving resignations

However, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deepa Shukla said neither Dr. Vaibhav Salunkhe nor Dr. Srushti Baviskar had formally submitted their resignations.

She said both doctors were appointed through a third-party recruitment agency and had not resigned from that agency either.

"They are absent from their duties without notice," Dr. Shukla said.

Attack triggered by NICU dispute

The assault took place at Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli, which is run by the KDMC.

The confrontation began after two doctors advised a newborn's family to shift the infant to another hospital because the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was full.

The relatives then approached corporator Rakesh Mhatre, who allegedly arrived at the hospital with his associates, leading to a violent altercation.

Video sparked outrage

A video of the incident, widely circulated on social media, showed Mhatre striking a woman doctor from behind before allegedly assaulting another doctor and hospital staff members.

The footage triggered widespread outrage and condemnation from the medical fraternity.

Corporator arrested, hospitalised

Following the public backlash, Mhatre was arrested on Wednesday.

Soon after his arrest, however, he was admitted to Thane Civil Hospital on health grounds, prompting allegations that he was receiving preferential treatment.