'Only 17 left...': Resident doctors vacate RG Kar hostel following mob attack

The tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have sent shockwaves across the nation, leading to a significant decline in the number of female residents at the institution’s hostels. The incident, which took place on August 9, has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, resulting in an exodus of women from the campus.

A fourth-year MBBS student, aged 24, revealed that only 17 women remain in their hostel, a stark contrast to the 160 junior female doctors who lived there before the incident. The once-bustling hostels are now eerily deserted, with only the nursing hostel showing some signs of occupancy.

The mass departure began immediately after the body of the junior doctor was discovered in the seminar room on August 9. While a few students returned after a brief absence, the situation worsened following an attack by miscreants on the hospital premises on the night of August 14, prompting even more to leave.

“We were so scared that night, we can’t explain it,” shared a second-year MBBS student, reflecting the deep-seated fear among the remaining students. Many female nurses and doctors, who came to protest, sought refuge in the hostel during the attack, further heightening the tension.

For those who stayed behind, the pressure from concerned families to return home is palpable. The gravity of the situation was also highlighted during a Supreme Court hearing, where it was disclosed that out of 700 resident doctors, only 30-40 women and 60-70 men doctors were still residing on campus after August 14.