The trauma care centre of SSKM Medical College and Hospital in South Kolkata was vandalized on Sunday by a group of armed miscreants. This incident has raised serious concerns about safety at state-run medical facilities.
Eyewitnesses reported that approximately 15 individuals arrived on motorcycles and forcefully entered the hospital premises in the morning. Armed with hockey sticks and wickets, they caused significant damage to the trauma unit.
According to a junior doctor at the hospital, a youth—who is a relative of a patient undergoing treatment—was severely beaten during the incident. The victim sustained serious head injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the same hospital.
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Eyewitnesses also noted that despite the chaos, police personnel present on-site did not intervene. The vandalism continued for several minutes before the attackers left the scene.
This incident occurred less than five kilometers from Esplanade, where seven junior doctors are currently on a hunger strike. Their protest supports demands for justice following the rape and murder of a fellow junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August.
The violence further highlights ongoing concerns regarding security at medical institutions in Kolkata. A junior doctor from SSKM criticized recent government claims, stating, “Just a couple of days ago, the state government informed us that 90 percent of the work to enhance security at hospitals was complete. This incident is a testament to that claim.”
Following the vandalism, a significant police contingent arrived at the hospital to initiate an investigation. As of now, it remains unclear who the attackers were and what motivated their actions. Meanwhile, doctors are conducting CT scans and other tests on the injured youth.
