Three people have been arrested in Uluberia, West Bengal, for allegedly assaulting a woman doctor at a state-run hospital and threatening her with rape.
The incident took place at the Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Government Medical College and Hospital in Howrah district on Monday. It comes nearly a year after the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case, reigniting a debate over safety for women in Bengal’s hospitals.
According to police, the accused are relatives of a patient admitted to the hospital. On Monday afternoon, they got into an altercation with the doctor on duty and allegedly assaulted her during the confrontation.
The doctor later filed a police complaint, leading to the arrest of Sheikh Samrat, Sheikh Babulal — a Home Guard working as a traffic cop — and Sheikh Hasibul.
The Joint Forum of Doctors visited the hospital and expressed serious concerns over the lack of adequate security for medical professionals on duty.
Political Blame Game Between TMC and BJP
The incident has triggered a fresh political clash between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said, “Trinamool has created a troubled society where perverted Home Guards and civic volunteers are part of the party. They believe it is their government. They do not care about police or administration. There is no CCTV surveillance. It is an unfortunate incident.”
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Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also posted a sharp statement on X, saying women in Bengal are “terrifyingly unsafe under Mamata Banerjee’s rule.”
“After the bone-chilling R.G. Kar Medical College rape and murder incident, the Chief Minister’s loud claims stand completely exposed. The latest proof — the shocking incident at Uluberia hospital. The doctor alleged that no security personnel were present. She is now traumatised and living in fear,” Majumdar said.
He added, “Under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, women in Bengal are terrifyingly unsafe and each such incident shows the Trinamool government’s sins have overflown their limits.”
TMC Responds to BJP’s Allegations
Trinamool spokesperson Arun Chakraborty condemned the incident, calling it “condemnable and unfortunate.”
“All the accused have been arrested. But why was Suvendu Adhikari silent when one of his party workers was arrested in a rape case in Nandigram?” he said, accusing the BJP of selective outrage.
The TMC maintains that immediate arrests show the government’s zero-tolerance approach.
The assault at Uluberia hospital comes months after the brutal rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, a case that led to massive protests and calls for better security in medical institutions.
The latest attack has revived public anger, with doctors’ groups demanding round-the-clock security, CCTV coverage, and strict enforcement of hospital safety protocols.
