Junior docs at Kolkata hospital launch cease-work protest amid attack by patient's family

Kolkata: Junior doctors at the government-run Sagar Dutta Medical College and Hospital in Kamarhati, close to Kolkata, began a cease work on Friday night in protest at what they said was abuse by the family of a patient who passed away while receiving treatment.

A junior doctor stated that the patient's condition, a middle-aged woman with serious breathing issues, was critical.

Following her death, a mob of around 20 people went on a rampage at the hospital and thrashed nurses and junior doctors who were on duty, he alleged."We have been repeatedly demanding proper security in the outpatient department and hospital wards. But today's incident proves that the state administration is yet to wake up to our demand for safety. Till our demands for adequate safety are met, the cease work will continue," he said.

He claimed six people, including nurses, were beaten by the mob. A senior official of Barrackpore police commissionerate said the hospital administration has lodged a complaint in the matter at the local police station and an investigation is underway. He said security at the hospital compound has been intensified following the incident and a police patrol was keeping vigil near the hospital's main gate. West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum member Kinjal Nanda said, "Our repeated demand for the safety of junior doctors have not been fulfilled by the administration. We will declare our next course of action in the wake of this incident by tomorrow. We don't want a rerun of the RG Kar case.”

With PTI inputs