An alleged incident of attempt to rape of a minor patient by an employee of the Haroa Rural Hospital (HRH) in North 24-Parganas prompted the victim’s relatives and local to organise protests and road blockade rocked the hospital premises on Friday.

Hardly, three days after the incident of the molestation of an adolescent girl patient at the Diamond Harbour Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday yet another incident of sexual harassment of the minor girl at the state-run HRH exposed safety and security of patients and medical students, doctors, nurses and other employees in public healthcare facilities across the state.

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Agitating junior doctors along with their seniors attached with government medical colleges and hospitals have been demanding the state administration to strengthen safety and security arrangements of medical staff and patients in public sector healthcare establishments after the heinous rape and murder of the lady doctor at her workplace R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9 August last year.

Today, a group D employee of the HRH was arrested by police on charge of an alleged attempt to rape the girl inside a toilet of the hospital.

He was arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim with the Haroa police station, according to sources at the hospital.

According to sources, the victim was brought to the rural hospital on Wednesday showing symptoms of fever and vomiting.

The accused used to disturb the patient advising her to undergo several pathological and radiological tests since she was admitted to the hospital. On Thursday, he took her to the toilet saying that she would undergo the tests. He sexually molested her there during early morning but fled the spot soon after the victim raised the alarm, the complaint stated.

Local residents along with CPI-M leadership in the Haroa area staged demonstrations at the hospital premises and blocked Haroa Road demanding immediate arrest of the culprit.

Police from the nearby police station rushed to spot and dispersed the protestors.

A senior police official in North 24-Parganas district said that a case has been registered against the accused under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.

On Tuesday, one person had been arrested on charges of allegedly molesting a 15-year-old adolescent girl inside the intensive care unit (ICU) at the state government-run Diamond Harbour (DH) Medical College and Hospital. Similar case under POCSO has also been registered against the accused.

In August last year, a laboratory attendant of the state-run Howrah District Hospital had allegedly sexually harassed a 13-year-old girl when she was taken to CT-scan unit of the hospital on 28 August night, last year.