Over 100 people attacked Vidyasagar State General Hospital in Behala, Kolkata, late on Friday night after the death of a man allegedly due to medical negligence.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the safety of healthcare workers in Bengal.
Mehmud Alam, 29, from Thakurpur, was admitted to the hospital at 8.20 pm with chest pain and shortness of breath. He passed away at 9.15 pm. According to hospital officials, Alam was given an injection, an ECG was conducted, and CPR was administered.
However, his family claims he collapsed due to negligence, alleging that his condition worsened after receiving the injection.
“How can he collapse because of an injection?” questioned Alam's wife, Aziza Khatun, who also denied that her family was involved in the subsequent attack.
Around 10.30 pm, a mob began rampaging through the hospital. Witnesses described people smashing glass doors, breaking windows in the emergency ward, and verbally abusing staff. Three nurses were assaulted. One of the nurses was injured and required treatment at the hospital. Several patients in the emergency ward had to be moved to other parts of the hospital for safety.
Mahadeb Ghosh, an 81-year-old patient in the emergency ward, recalled hearing the chaos. “I panicked and called for help, but I couldn’t find any security nearby,” he said. Ghosh was later transferred to another ward, where he is staying longer due to fluctuating blood pressure.
The police were called to the scene. A complaint was lodged at Parnasree police station. Authorities arrested 22 people in connection with the violence. Police managed to contain the situation, but the damage to hospital property was significant. The glass doors to the emergency ward and a window in the male ward were shattered. The gate on the ground floor was also damaged.
This attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting hospitals in Bengal. Doctors and medical staff have been demanding better security following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College. Healthcare workers are growing increasingly concerned about their safety.
The hospital denied any negligence, stating that they followed all procedures to treat Alam. “We didn’t get enough time to save him as he collapsed suddenly,” a senior official explained.
The attack has raised further alarms about the safety of patients and healthcare workers. It is clear that more needs to be done to protect those in medical care.
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