Siliguri municipal doctor alleges assault by police, files complaint

A doctor working for the Siliguri Municipality has accused the police of misbehavior and physical assault while he was on duty during the city's carnival night. The doctor, identified as Hirak Brata Sarkar, has lodged a formal complaint with the police commissioner, alleging that he was publicly humiliated and beaten by the police despite being on official duty.

Dr. Sarkar explained that he had been on duty from 10 pm that night but was not provided with a security pass for the event. As a result, when he tried to enter Niranjan Ghat, the police stopped him. Despite identifying himself as an on-duty doctor, he claimed that the police made several accusations against him and treated him like a criminal. He further alleged that he was assaulted in public by a group of 10-12 people and then taken to the police station.

“They started beating me in front of everyone,” said Dr. Sarkar. “My back is still sore from the assault. A policeman later removed me from the scene and took me to a senior officer. But instead of resolving the situation, they continued to beat me near my bike, treating me like a criminal,” he added. After being held at the police station for two hours, Dr. Sarkar was released on a PR bond.

This incident comes amid growing tensions between healthcare professionals and authorities in the state. Doctors, paramedics, and health workers have been staging protests at Dharmatala, pressing their 10-point demands, which include better safety measures for doctors in hospitals. The incident involving Dr. Sarkar has only intensified their concerns.