Family, doctor file complaint against accused who suffers from a mental condition and has attacked people in the past; demand that he be urgently sent to rehab
Dr Ashutosh Chaumal after the assault. Pic/ Pradeep Dhivar
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The police have booked a celebrity tattoo artist for allegedly assaulting a doctor after the former mistook him for a kidnapper. The Hill Road-based tattoo expert allegedly hit the doctor with a bamboo stick, leaving him with severe injuries.
According to the police, Dr Ashutosh Chaumal arrived at the tattoo parlour on the evening of September 12 to escort him to a rehabilitation centre, on his family's request. A family member confirmed that he is a drug addict and suffers from a mental condition and has violent outbursts. Despite being treated by a string of psychiatrists in the past, his condition had not improved, the family member said. After consulting with doctors in the city, the family decided to send him to one a rehabilitation centre in Pune for treatment.
Recalling the incident, Chaumal said, "My staff and I went to his tattoo studio on Tuesday evening in an ambulance. He was there along with a few friends. When we asked him to come with us, he refused. We tried convincing him that we were acting on his family's request, but he suddenly got violent and attacked us with a bamboo stick. I was rushed to Bhabha Hospital, where I got 12 stitches to my head. After the treatment, I registered a complaint with the Bandra police."
When mid-day reached out to the tattoo artist, whose identity has been protected given his mental health, he said, "I thought that these people were trying to kidnap me. When I saw him putting chloroform on the handkerchief, I got scared and in defence, grabbed a stick." He added that he doesn't live with his family.
He said that he only later realised that his mother and brother had reached out to the doctor. "They wanted to send me to rehabilitation for no reason. I am ready to undergo medical tests to prove that my condition is stable."
Following the incident, the accused's mother has also filed a complaint with the police. In the letter, a copy of which is in mid-day's possession, the mother has said that he had been advised medical treatment. "He is capable of either causing grievous hurt to himself or my other children. He is schizophrenic and has bipolar disorder with a history of substance abuse. I am informing the police that he has hit my employee too. He carries weapons with him. He is even suicidal, and I beg and plead the police officials to take control of this situation before anyone gets hurt."
When contacted, the tattoo artist's sister said, "After the incident, the family is traumatised."
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A psychiatrist, who was previously treated him, on condition of anonymity, said, "If his treatment continues, his condition will improve."
A case under Sections 324, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the tattoo expert for assault and voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons. "Further investigations are on," said a police officer from Bandra police station.
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