SSKM Hospital trauma centre in Kolkata vandalised

Kolkata: The trauma centre of the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital in South Kolkata was vandalised on Sunday by a group of miscreants armed with hockey clubs and wickets.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of about fifteen miscreants broke into the hospital early in the morning on motorcycles and vandalised the trauma care unit.

“The miscreants were armed with hockey sticks and wickets. A youth, a relative of a patient undergoing treatment at the hospital, was severely beaten up by them. The youth, with severe head injuries, is currently under treatment here only,” said a junior doctor of the hospital.

Eyewitnesses also claimed that while the vandalism continued for some time, the police personnel present within the hospital premises stood there as mute spectators.

The incident took place less than five kilometres from the stage at Esplanade in central Kolkata where seven junior doctors are undergoing fast-unto-death agitation in support of their demands on the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August.

The latest violence at a hospital again raises questions about the safety and security arrangements at the state-run medical colleges and hospitals in Kolkata.

“Just a couple of days back, the state government intimated to the protesting junior doctors that 90 per cent of the work related to strengthening of security arrangements at Kolkata has been completed. Now this is the specimen of completion of 90 per cent work," said a junior doctor attached to S.S.K.M.

Meanwhile, after the miscreants left the hospital premises, a huge police contingent reached the spot and started an investigation into the matter.

At the time the report was filed it was not clear who these miscreants were and what prompted them to indulge in vandalism. Meanwhile, the doctors treating the injured youth are conducting CT scans and other tests.

With inputs from IANS