Did Doctor Pay Price for Knowing Too Much? Suspicions Abound in Kolkata Horror

The investigation into the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata has raised disturbing questions about whether she was silenced for knowing too much. The doctor’s parents and colleagues are convinced that her murder was not a random act but rather a deliberate attempt to silence her about certain “secrets” she may have uncovered regarding heavy work pressure and possibly a drug racket.

A Life Dedicated to Medicine
Suspicions of a Drug Racket
Work Pressure and the Environment at RG Kar
The Parents’ Suspicions
Protests and Demands for Accountability
Demands for the Principal’s Resignation
Impact on the Medical Community
Conclusion
FAQs

A Life Dedicated to Medicine

The deceased doctor, who was a second-year PGT in the chest medicine department, was a highly dedicated and hardworking individual. She had secured a PG seat at RG Kar to study chest medicine, a field she was deeply passionate about. Her colleagues described her as an upright and honest person who always stood up for what was right.

Suspicions of a Drug Racket

Several colleagues hinted at the possibility of a medicine “racket” within the hospital that the doctor may have been trying to expose. There have been murmurs about irregularities in the department, and it is suspected that the doctor’s insistence on standing up against these irregularities may have led to her murder.

Work Pressure and the Environment at RG Kar

The hospital, particularly under the management of former principal Sandip Ghosh, was known for its heavy work pressure and the treatment of junior doctors. Junior doctors were often forced to work 36 hours at a stretch, and those who did not conform to the norms set by the management faced severe punishment, including transfer for faculty members and failing of exams for students.

The Parents’ Suspicions

The doctor’s parents have informed the police that their daughter had spoken to them about the tremendous work pressure she was under in the weeks leading up to her death. Details from her diary also indicated that some colleagues were dumping a lot of work on her. The parents believe that their daughter may have learnt something she was not supposed to, which ultimately led to her murder.

Protests and Demands for Accountability

The incident has sparked widespread protests across medical colleges in Kolkata and the state, with agitating doctors and students demanding accountability from the hospital administration. Following the demands, the state health department removed the medical superintendent and vice principal Sanjay Bashistha from his post and transferred him to Calcutta National Medical College as a professor in the physiology department. Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, former dean of student affairs of R G Kar, took over as the new vice principal and superintendent of the hospital.

Demands for the Principal’s Resignation

Despite the removal of the medical superintendent, the protesters remained adamant on the ouster of the hospital principal, Sandip Ghosh, and the head of the chest medicine department. Various doctors’ organizations, including the Association of Health Service Doctors West Bengal (AHSDWB), West Bengal Doctors’ Forum, and the Service Doctors Forum, have been pressing for Ghosh’s removal.

Impact on the Medical Community

The incident has sent shockwaves through the medical community, with many doctors and students voicing their concerns about the lack of security and the prevalence of irregularities within hospitals. The protests have led to the shutdown of the emergency department at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Sunday.

Conclusion

The brutal rape and murder of the PGT doctor at RG Kar Medical College has highlighted the dark underbelly of irregularities and heavy work pressure within the medical community in Kolkata. While the investigation continues, the suspicions of a drug racket and the doctor’s murder being a deliberate attempt to silence her have sparked a wave of protests and demands for accountability.

FAQs

1. What were the work conditions at RG Kar Medical College?

Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College were often forced to work 36 hours at a stretch with severe punishments meted out to those not conforming to these norms.

2. What led to the suspicion of a drug racket?

The deceased doctor exhibited signs of someone trying to expose irregularities within the department, leading to the suspicion of a possible drug racket.

3. How have the protests impacted the hospital operations?

The protests led to the shutdown of the emergency department at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, severely affecting medical services.

4. What actions have been taken by the state health department?

The state health department removed and transferred the medical superintendent and vice principal Sanjay Bashistha and appointed Bulbul Mukhopadhyay as the new vice principal and superintendent of the hospital.