Kolkata, August 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A female nursing staff member of state-run N.R.S. Medical College and Hospital in central Kolkata was found dead inside a washroom on the hospital premises early Thursday, prompting a police investigation.
The deceased was reportedly on night duty at the high dependency unit (HDU) of the gynaecology department on Wednesday.
According to information available so far, the woman was noticed missing from her duty station for some time, following which her colleagues began searching for her. She was eventually found dead inside a hospital toilet in the early hours of Thursday.
Hospital authorities immediately informed the police. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and the exact cause and manner of death are expected to be established after the autopsy report.
A hospital insider said no conclusion could be drawn about the circumstances of the death until the post-mortem and other aspects of the investigation were completed.
The incident has renewed concerns over safety and security at government-run medical institutions in West Bengal, particularly in the wake of the August 2024 rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The junior doctor’s body was found in a seminar room of the emergency department in August 2024. The case triggered widespread protests in West Bengal and across the country, with demands for stronger security measures and accountability at medical institutions.
Following that incident, the then Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government announced several measures aimed at strengthening surveillance and security at state-run hospitals. However, questions have continued to be raised over the implementation of those measures.
Other incidents have also highlighted concerns about hospital infrastructure and management. In March this year, a young man died after reportedly becoming trapped in an elevator at R.G. Kar, with the malfunctioning lift allegedly remaining unattended for an extended period.
In another incident that month, an elderly patient admitted to the same hospital reportedly died while walking to a second-floor toilet after a stretcher was allegedly unavailable.
The latest death at N.R.S. Medical College and Hospital has prompted authorities to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, while the post-mortem report is awaited.
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