Nurse found dead in washroom of state-run hospital in Kolkata

The NRS police outpost was informed, following which the Entally police station was alerted. Officials from the local police station and the Detective Department’s Homicide team reached the hospital and an investigation has been initiated, police said.

According to sources, the woman had married in March and was living with her husband in Dum Dum.

Several medicine vials were reportedly found near her body, prompting investigators to examine whether she died following an overdose of an anaesthetic drug administered through an injection, sources said. However, police are yet to ascertain the cause of death, they added.

“The crime scene has been sealed. No suicide note has been recovered. The cause of death can be ascertained after the post mortem examination. The forensic team is examining the spot. The woman’s husband also spoke to us,” Additional CP (Crime) Kunal Agarwal said.

State Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee also visited the hospital on Thursday and spoke to those on duty the previous night. He also said a separate team has been formed to probe the matter.

“Prima facie it appears she went to the washroom at 9 pm after initially checking on patients. It is a busy ward. While writing the death certificate of a patient, a doctor started looking for her. When people got worried after she did not step out of the washroom, some hospital staffers were called who broke open the door,” he said.

“After 10.30 pm, she was declared dead. She was from Purba Medinipur district. Her husband requested her post mortem be done at Calcutta Medical College. Why she died, how she died, there are many unanswered questions,” he said, adding, “An internal committee has also been formed, and it will submit its report within seven days.”

The incident has raised fresh concerns over safety across West Bengal’s medical facilities. Following the RG Kar Hospital case in 2024, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered, the state government had announced a series of measures to strengthen surveillance at government hospitals.

Meanwhile, the opposition TMC hit out at the BJP government in a post on X.

“Across Bengal, women continue to face grave threats to their safety, even as the @BJP4Bengal government makes repeated promises of protection. Now, a nurse’s body has been recovered from NRS Hospital. The circumstances demand a swift, transparent and credible investigation. How many more tragedies before the government acts? #BhoyInBhorshaOut,” the post said.