Nassau Surgeon Strangled Nurse After Argument: Police

A surgeon at Nassau University Medical Center was arrested Tuesday afternoon after police say he attempted to strangle a nurse. Venkatesh Sasthakonar, of Albertson, is a surgeon at the hospital located at 2201 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow.

According to police, after getting into a disagreement with a 51-year-old female nurse in the morning, Sasthakonar come up from behind her and wrapped an elastic cord around her neck. Sasthakonar then left the hospital, and the nurse was treated for substantial pain to her neck, according to police.

Police say Sasthakonar returned to the hospital several hours later at 4:45 p.m., where he was arrested by police.

Sasthakonar is charged with second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault. He was released on $3,500 bail following an arraignment at First District Court in Hempstead Tuesday, according to court records. He is due back in court on Feb. 26.

The criminal complaint against Sasthakonar alleges that he attacked the nurse because she gave one of his patients medication at the wrong time, Newsday reported.

Sasthakonar's attorney, however, told Newsday that "there was no intent in this situation to do any harm to the nurse whatsoever."

Photo: Nassau County Police Department