Want case filed under Doctors’ Protection Act, under which it is a non-bailable offence.Around 4,000 doctors across the state are striking work from Thursday morning, demanding the arrest of three policemen who assaulted one of their fraternity in Solapur.The medics are members of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, which has in its possession video-footage of the assault.Resident doctor Prashant Patil who is doing his first year post-graduation from Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Government Medical College in Solapur, was accompanying a head-injury patient to the CT scan department at the hospital at around 2.30 am on Tuesday when three cops asked him to immediately attend to a pregnant woman whom they had come across on their patrols. Dr Patil declined, saying he was already attending to a seriously injured patient.However, he telephoned the gynecology department on the hospital intercom, but nobody answered. A heated argument ensued between the cops and Dr Patil, who tried to tell them he was a surgeon and could not help with child delivery. The policemen then beat up the doctor, alleged his colleagues. “While the policemen were busy assaulting our doctor, a nurse had already taken the woman to the labour room; our gynaecs attended to her, the delivery was done, and both mother and baby are fine,” said one of them.Dr. Patil made a police complaint that resulted in an FIR against the three cops who assaulted him. But MARD says the cops went soft on the charges against the assaulters. “We want stronger action against the erring officers under Doctors Protections Act, which provides for a nonbailable offence,” said Dr Saurabh Patil, assistant general secretary, MARD, Solapur.MARD members across the state are outraged at what has happened. “We have written a letter to the directorate of medical education (DMER) demanding suspension of the cops who assaulted the resident doctor under the doctors protection act. Unless our demand is met and security for doctors strengthened, we will not call off the strike,” said Dr Santosh Wakchaure, president Central MARD, Mumbai.Meanwhile, hospitals in the city have made arrangements in view of the absence of their resident doctors. “We have cancelled the routine and planned surgeries. Senior doctors and faculty have also been deputed on duty. Only in-patient and emergency services will be run,” said Dean of Sion Hospital Dr Avinash Supe. Similar arrangements have been made at KEM, JJ and Nair Hospitals.