Bengal: Minor girl ‘harassed’ by lab technician, nurse attacked by patient

West Bengal Police have arrested a laboratory technician on suspicion of molesting a minor girl aged 12 at a government hospital in Howrah district.

The incident took place on Saturday evening at the Howrah District Headquaters Hospital, where the girl was admitted last week, police said.

A family member of the minor girl stated that she came out of the laboratory crying because the defendant had touched her “inappropriately.”

The technician also allegedly threatened the girl with dire consequences if she told anyone about the abuse.

The police are continuing to investigate this case.

Meanwhile, members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M), held a demonstration outside the hospital on Sunday and demanded the resignation of the hospital director.

Nurse in Birbhum harassed by patient

In another similar case, a nurse at a government hospital in Birbhum district was allegedly harassed and verbally abused by a male patient.

“A man, admitted with high fever late on Saturday night, attempted to violate the modesty of a duty nurse at Illambazar Block Hospital. The hospital administration immediately informed the police, who arrested him and sent him to Bolpur Sub-Divisional Hospital for treatment,” said Himadri Ari, Chief Medical Officer (CMOH) of Birbhum.

“The patient started abusing me as soon as he arrived,” the nurse said, adding, “I ignored it and started treating him, but suddenly he started touching me inappropriately while I was giving him saline.”

Doctors and medical staff at the hospital held a protest rally on Sunday, demanding round-the-clock security for medical staff.

Another nurse at the hospital said, “Despite the RG-Kar incident, not much has changed in terms of our safety.”

On August 9, a doctor-in-training was found dead in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. She had been brutally raped and murdered by a volunteer. The incident triggered a wave of protests in West Bengal and other parts of the country.