Tensions in Bengal escalate after sexual abuse of a minor; nurse harassed on duty

Amid widespread outrage over the West Bengal government's handling of the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, disturbing cases of violence against women have once again come to light in the state.

According to reports, a minor was sexually abused in North 24 Parganas district of the state, while a duty nurse at a health centre in Birbhum district was abused by a patient.

As soon as the news of the sexual abuse of the minors came to light on Saturday evening, locals started protesting outside the abuser's house in Rajbari area of ​​Rohanda Panchayat. An angry mob vandalised his house and a relative's shop in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas.

The defendant was later arrested.

The anger against the state government escalated further when a TMC leader, who is also the husband of a panchayat member, allegedly asked the victim's family to “sort out the matter”. This led to the angry mob attacking the panchayat member's house. Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were then deployed to the area and tear gas was used to disperse the crowd.

However, the family of the panchayat member claimed that the protest was carried out by CPM workers.

In another incident, a male nurse was molested by a patient while on duty at the emergency ward of Ilambazar Centre in Birbhum district. The accused allegedly inappropriately touched and verbally abused the nurse while she was attending to him in the emergency ward. The accused was accompanied by his family members who refused to intervene while he was committing the act.

“The male patient behaved badly towards me and touched my intimate area inappropriately while I was only following the doctor’s instructions. He also verbally abused me,” NDTV reported the nurse.

“Such incidents happen due to lack of security. Otherwise, how could a patient dare to do such a thing to a duty officer while his family members are present and do nothing to stop him,” the nurse added.

The accused patient was later taken into custody after hospital management informed the police.