The 40-bed unit, equipped with ventilators and other critical devices, is now a charred shell. Emergency services operate from an under-equipped corner of the trauma care building. Probe has stalled, with no charges filed and all suspects released.
Kolkata: The emergency medicine department at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, once a hub of urgent care, has stood silent for nearly a year. Its charred walls and empty halls a lingering reminder of the mob violence on the night of August 14 and 15 after the rape of a 31-year-old junior doctor, which triggered outrage across India. Kolkata Police, which had described the incident as an “organised crime” and arrested 88 people for arson, are yet to submit even a preliminary charge sheet in the case. Sealed off in the immediate aftermath for police investigation, the unit received the green light for renovation from the health department in October. But nearly twelve months on, progress has stalled. Beyond removing debris, shattered beds, and ruined medical devices, no repairs have been carried out, leaving the city’s once-busy emergency hub frozen in a state of disrepair
Before the attack, the department was equipped with around 40 beds, including five high-dependency unit (HDU) beds, three ventilators, five BiPAP machines, multiple patient monitors, an arterial blood gas (ABG) analyser, and defibrillators. All of it was destroyed within minutes during the vandalism. For the past year, the emergency service has been operating out of a cramped corner of the trauma care building, which has just four beds, four oxygen ports, and none of the critical devices such as ventilators, BiPAP, or defibrillators. There is also no dedicated rest area or toilet for doctors and nurses.
“We often receive critically ill patients — those in respiratory distress, suffering strokes, cardiac emergencies, or shock — even during the night. We are working without essential life-saving equipment,” said emergency medical officer Tapas Pramanick. Officials at the hospital say they will need to rebuild the unit from the ground up but are still awaiting funds from the health department.
The police investigation has also made little headway. Despite forming a 15-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) and registering three separate FIRs at Shyampukur, Ultadanga, and Tala police stations, no clear progress has been reported. The last arrest in the case took place in September last year, and all those detained have since been granted bail. Court appearances have been sporadic, and police have cited pending forensic reports as the reason for delays. At different hearings, investigators have reportedly given varying accounts, with no concrete explanation for the slow pace of the probe.