A patient’s family member was bruttally attacked with hockey sticks by a group of unidentified men at Kolkata’s IPGMER SSKM Hospital in West Bengal on Sunday morning. The victim identified as Sourav Modak, whose father is undergoing treatment there, was attacked by a mob of 15-20 assailants near the trauma care unit.
Witnesses told India Today that the attackers, armed with hockey sticks and lathis, pinned Modak to the ground and beat him mercilessly. Although police officers were present nearby, the attackers managed to escape, leaving Modak severely injured and lying in a pool of blood.
The staff of the Hospital immediately admitted him to the trauma care unit, where he remains in critical condition. Doctors confirmed that he sustained serious injuries to his head, scalp, limbs, and wrists, with multiple fractures in his arms and legs.
Modak, who is traumatised by the incident, said to his doctors that he does not recognise his attackers. The assault has heightened safety concerns among medical staff, especially after recent protests at RG Kar Medical College after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in August.
Police Personnel Fail To Intervene
A junior doctor at SSKM, Dr Bipresh Chakroborty, revealed that the attack was reported to the police outpost located within the hospital, but no case had been officially registered at the time.
Dr. Bipresh Chakroborty further added that two on-duty police personnel, who were present at the trauma centre failed to intervene when he was attacked.
Meanwhile, police sources have indicated that an investigation is underway, and CCTV footage is being reviewed to identify the attackers. A case has been filed at Bhawanipur police station.