Amid continuing protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a laboratory worker at Howrah Sadar Hospital has been accused of sexually assaulting a minor patient. The accused has been arrested by the police today. Police said that the minor girl was admitted to Howrah District Hospital on 28 August with chest pain. Last night, she underwent a CT scan.

It is alleged that during the CT scan in the laboratory, a lab attendant named Ananda Raj molested the girl. After leaving the lab, the girl told her family everything. In protest against the incident, members of the DYFI surrounded the hospital superintendent, Narayan Chattopadhyay, and demonstrated. For nearly an hour, the organisation’s members gheraoed the superintendent’s room, while many DYFI workers protested outside. Police officials reached the scene, and DYFI leader Dipshita Dhar joined the protest. She expressed her outrage, saying: “We are filled with anger and frustration. When people across West Bengal and India are protesting for women’s safety, how can someone in our Howrah district have the audacity to harass a minor? We asked the superintendent why there wasn’t a female nurse present when the minor was sent to the scan room.

This responsibility lies with the hospital au t horities. If there is no fe – male nurse available, why wa sn’t a family member all – owed to accompany the pat – ient? That too is the hospital’s responsibility. The superintendent couldn’t provide any answers. What can we expect from someone who doesn’t even know what’s happening inside the hospital?” Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Rajbari area in Madhyamgram, North 24- Parganas, turned into a battlefield following allegations of sexual harassment against a seven-year-old girl.

An enraged mob vandalised the house of the accused and the shop of his relative, right in front of the police. They also vandalised the house of a local Trinamul Congress panchayat member. The crowd hurled bricks, and chants of “We want justice” filled the air. To control the situation, a large police force and RAF resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells. The police have arrested the accused. Locals allege that Trinamul Congress panchayat member Nilima Bibi’s husband, Abdul Hafiz, tried to ‘settle’ the matter. Following the allegations, he too has been arrested by the police.