Saturday night revelries keep doctors hard at work

AsMumbaikars partied late after the World Cup win, doctors at public hospitalswere busy treating the wounded and the wasted alike, until sunrise.

While the northern suburbs of Mumbai saw a lull in the crime scene on Saturdaynight, the drunken celebrations downtown, after India broke a 28-year-long jinxby bagging the Cricket World Cup, led to a spurt in cases of assault anddrunken driving, landing many in hospitals.

Doctors working in the casualty department of public hospitals were having ahard time treating the casualties of aggressive celebrations.

Hospitals' casualty wards, usually silent during night hours, were abuzz withpatients, quintupling in numbers, thanks to post-victory celebrations, thedoctors related.

The state run GT hospital, which is the nearest to Wankhede Sstadium, saw over15 cases of assault, and three others of alcohol testing.

"After the match got over, patients started pouring in at the casualtyward. In majority of the cases, patients had sustained minor injuries,"said a doctor at GT hospital.

On an average, 2-3 cases of assault are reported at the hospital during night time.But on Saturday, the doctors were busy treating patients brought with injurieslike abrasions, contusions, and wounds.

The first case of assault landed at the hospital just after the match got over,at about 11.30 pm, and the outpouring continued until morning.

"People revel in wild celebrations, then get involved in brawls. Fortunately,no major mishap happened," said a doctor who was deputed on emergency dutyowing to the match.

JJ hospital in Byculla saw around 12 cases throughout the night, of which threehad suffered attacks.

The scuffles were not restricted to the city's south side exclusively. Thecivic-run Cooper hospital in Juhu saw around 18 cases during the night.

"Over 18 patients were brought in the casualty department of the hospital.Most of them had suffered minor abrasions. While three people were brought infor blood testing for alcohol by the police," said a doctor at thehospital. He added that on regular days, not more than two assault cases comeduring such hours.

But Dr Sandhya Kamat, dean of Sion hospital, absolves the Indian success ofprovoking the deluge in cases. She said, "Owing to our location, we getcases regularly. On Saturday, around 15 cases of assault had come in. But wecannot attribute them to World Cup celebrations alone."

Dr Vijaya Bhatt, Bhagwati hospital, Borivli, said, "We had around 56medico-legal cases registered with us in the night hours after the match. Itincludes cases of assault and alcohol testing."