Woman Doctor Assaulted, Threatened With Rape At West Bengal Hospital; Three Arrested

Three people have been arrested in West Bengal’s Uluberia for allegedly assaulting and threatening a woman doctor with rape at a government hospital, reigniting concerns over.

The safety of medical professionals in the state and triggering a fresh political war of words between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. The incident took place on Monday at the Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Government Medical College and Hospital in Howrah district. According to police, the accused — identified as Sheikh Samrat, Sheikh Babulal (a Home Guard serving as a traffic constable), and Sheikh Hasibul — are relatives of a patient admitted to the hospital.

Officials said the three got into an argument with the woman doctor during treatment procedures, which quickly escalated into a physical assault. The doctor later lodged a formal complaint, following which all three were arrested.

The incident has drawn widespread outrage, especially since it comes a year after the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital — an episode that had sparked mass protests across Bengal’s medical fraternity.

Members of the Joint Forum of Doctors, a representative body of medical professionals in the state, visited the Uluberia hospital and demanded stronger security measures at government medical facilities. “This attack once again exposes the vulnerability of doctors working in public hospitals. We urge the state to ensure safety and swift justice,” the forum said in a statement.

The opposition BJP seized on the incident to attack Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government, alleging a complete collapse of law and order. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya accused the Trinamool Congress of “fostering a culture of impunity.” “Trinamool has created an atmosphere where Home Guards and civic volunteers, many aligned with the ruling party, think they are above the law,” he said.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also slammed the state government, calling the situation “terrifying” for women. “After the horrific RG Kar case, this is yet another reminder that women in Bengal are unsafe under Mamata Banerjee’s rule. A woman doctor was harassed and threatened by a Home Guard inside a hospital — that speaks volumes about the collapse of the system,” Majumdar wrote on X.

Responding to the criticism, Trinamool spokesperson Arun Chakraborty condemned the assault but maintained that “swift action has been taken.” “The incident is shameful, and all the accused have been arrested. But the BJP should also answer why their leaders stay silent when such crimes happen under their watch, like in Nandigram,” he said.

As police continue their investigation, the doctor remains under protection. The incident has once again underscored the need for robust security measures and accountability within West Bengal’s healthcare system.