Female Doctor Assaulted and Threatened at West Bengal Hospital: Safety Concerns Rise Following Arrest of Three Suspects Including Home Guard

The incident occurred at Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Government Medical College at Uluberia where a female doctor faced assault and threats.

Three individuals have been apprehended in West Bengal's Uluberia for allegedly attacking a woman doctor at a government hospital and threatening her with sexual assault. This disturbing event, happening approximately one year after the brutal rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has ignited political tensions between the governing Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP.

The assault took place on Monday at Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Government Medical College and Hospital in Howrah district. According to reports, the perpetrators were family members of a patient receiving treatment at the facility. During an afternoon confrontation, they allegedly physically assaulted the doctor, who subsequently filed a police report that led to their arrest. Among those detained is a man employed as a Home Guard. The three arrested individuals have been identified as Sheikh Samrat, Sheikh Babulal - who works as a traffic officer - and Sheikh Hasibul.

The Joint Forum of Doctors, an organization representing medical professionals in Bengal, visited the Uluberia hospital and expressed significant concerns regarding the safety of doctors during their shifts.

The opposition BJP has criticized Trinamool over this incident. State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya claimed that the Mamata Banerjee government failed to learn from the RG Kar Medical College incident. "Trinamool has fostered a troubled society where deviant Home Guards and civic volunteers are affiliated with the party. They believe the government belongs to them. They disregard police and administration. There is no CCTV monitoring. This is an unfortunate incident," he stated.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar declared that women in Bengal are "terrifyingly unsafe" under Mamata Banerjee's leadership.

"Following the horrifying R.G. Kar Medical College rape and murder case, the Chief Minister's vocal claims have been thoroughly exposed. The latest evidence - the shocking incident at Uluberia Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Government Medical College in Howrah. A female doctor was harassed and threatened with rape inside the hospital by a Home Guard! The doctor also reported that no security personnel were present at the time. The victim is now traumatized and living in fear," he posted on X.

"Regardless of how the failing Chief Minister @MamataOfficial attempts to evade responsibility, she and her incompetent, exposed police administration are directly responsible. Under Mamata Banerjee's governance, women in Bengal are frighteningly vulnerable, and each such incident demonstrates that the Trinamool government's transgressions have exceeded all boundaries," Majumdar added.

Trinamool spokesperson Arun Chakraborty described the Uluberia incident as "condemnable and unfortunate." "However, all suspects have been arrested. But why was (BJP leader) Suvendu Adhikari silent when one of his party members was arrested in a rape case in Nandigram," he countered.