In a significant development today, agitating students at Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMC&H) prevented Dr Arunabha Datta Choudhury, former head of the department of chest medicine at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, from assuming his new role as a professor at MMC&H.
Dr Datta Choudhury, who had been waiting to join the chest medicine department at MMC&H for a considerable time, was ultimately forced to return without being able to take up his position.
The students and junior doctors, who have been protesting the alleged rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, blocked his appointment as part of their ongoing agitation.
The MMC&H authorities convened a meeting today to address security concerns and to discuss the incident.
Sources indicate that the authorities have formally reported the unrest and the obstruction of Dr Datta Choudhury’s appointment to higher officials.
The junior doctors here have resolved to continue their cease work protest in solidarity with the ongoing agitation at R G Kar hospital.
One of the student leaders, Chirantan Kumar, stated, “We have no personal issue with Dr Datta Choudhury. However, given the current crisis at R G Kar and his transfer from that institution, we have decided not to accept him as a professor here until our demand for justice is met.”
Kumar added that while the students may soon consider providing emergency services to patients, their protest will persist until justice is secured for the trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and killed.