A five-member disciplinary action committee (DAC) at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMC&H) has recommended stringent actions against 12 individuals, including senior officials, house staff, postgraduate trainees and other students, following protests against ‘threat culture’ here related to the recent R G Kar Medical College incident.
In response to the protests, NBMC&H authorities formed the committee, led by medical superintendent and vice-principal Dr Sanjay Mallick. Yesterday, the committee submitted its report, prompting a meeting of the college council, which resolved to forward the DAC’s recommendations to the director of medical education (DME) for approval and implementation.
The protests, supported by hundreds of students and junior doctors, forced Dr Sandeep Sengupta to tender his resignation following massive allegations against him in his role as the dean of student affairs.
The DAC has now recommended Dr Anupam Nath Gupta, head of the department of pharmacology, to replace Dr Sengupta as the new dean Dr Indrajit Saha confirmed that Dr Gupta’s name has been submitted to the DME for approval.
Protesters have accused the previous administration of creating a hostile environment on campus, alleging that Dr Sengupta had the backing of the Trinamul Congress, which intensified the unrest.
In addition to recommending a new dean, the DAC has proposed the formation of an anti-ragging council, chaired by Dr Bidyut Kumar Goswami, head of the pathology department, to address safety concerns and improve campus culture.
The committee has also recommended disciplinary actions against several students. The DAC suggested the termination of house staff positions for Saheen Sarkar, Sahinul Islam, and Riturambha Sarkar due to serious misconduct. Another student, Soham Mondal, faces termination for allegedly manipulating exam marks.
Furthermore, students Aritra Roy, Tirthankar Roy, Joy Lakhra, Sreeja Karmakar, and Aishee Chakrabarty have been barred from participating in academic activities, including examinations, due to their involvement in alleged irregularities.
“We have forwarded the DAC’s recommendations to the DME,” Principal Dr Saha said.
Former dean Dr Sandeep Sengupta, along with Sudipta Sil and Neelabjo Ghose, has been instructed to take a leave of absence. Principal Dr Saha noted that while the college cannot take direct action against top government officials like Dr Sengupta, the DAC’s decision has been forwarded to higher authorities for their consideration.
The DAC has also called for a rechecking of answer sheets for students who received honours, amid allegations that their marks were influenced by the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad.
In a separate development, allegations were also made against principal Dr Indrajit Saha, with a section of the protesters demanding his resignation.
Addressing the accusation, Dr Saha said, “The allegation against me has been forwarded to the concerned authorities, and I have requested an inquiry.”
The DAC’s recommendations are seen as part of a broader effort to restore order and transparency at NBMC&H as the institution continues to address the fallout from the protests and ongoing controversies.
In a related move, the medical college authorities have declared the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad-led student union unauthorized, citing that it was not an elected body.