Amid outrage over the death of a doctor in Kolkata, a nurse is sexually harassed during the night shift at Birbhum Hospital

A man was arrested in Birbhum district of West Bengal for harassing a nurse at a government hospital. The patient was brought to the hospital on a stretcher with high fever and the nurse was administering saline solution to her when the incident occurred.

The patient had touched her inappropriately, the nurse said in her complaint to the police, reported India Today. The nurse also claimed that the patient had not only touched her inappropriately, but had also used abusive language towards her.

The hospital authorities immediately called the police who arrived and arrested the accused. A formal written complaint was also lodged at Ilambazar police station and an investigation into the matter is underway.

“A male patient was admitted with fever during the night shift. As recommended by the doctors, I was about to give him a saline solution when he started misbehaving,” the nurse said.

“He touched me and used foul language. We don't feel safe working here because the security measures are not adequate. How can a patient behave like that?” she said.

Another doctor, Masidul Hasan, who was also on duty at the health center the night the incident occurred, provided further details.

The patient, named Abbas Uddin, arrived at the hospital at around 8:30 p.m. with fever. As soon as he arrived, he started misbehaving, Hasan said.

“After some clinical examinations, we recommended giving him injections and infusions. When the nurse tried to give him the saline solution, the patient behaved violently and harassed her by touching her inappropriately,” he said.

“We asked the patient's family for cooperation, but the patient continued to misbehave,” he added.

Hasan said the incident had been reported to police and authorities, adding that they would consider stopping work if no action was taken.

The incident occurred in the wake of the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and medical professionals across the country called for an 11-day strike.

The victim was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the government hospital on August 9.