Punishment Posting: Doctors who led RG Kar Protest transferred to remote areas

Kolkata: Three junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata have alleged that they were abruptly transferred to remote district hospitals just months after their initial postings — a move they claim is retaliation for leading protests demanding justice for a fellow PG trainee who was raped and murdered in August 2024. 

According to the news reports, the doctors — Debashis Haldar, Aniket Mahato, and Asfaqullah Naiya — were transferred on Monday to district hospitals in Malda, Purulia, and North Dinajpur, respectively. This comes just three months after their initial postings in February, where they were assigned to Howrah, Hooghly, and Kolkata.

The trio, who recently completed their postgraduate studies and were subject to the state’s bond service counselling process, claim their final postings do not align with their merit ranks or the official vacancy lists published during counselling.

Makata, who completed his postgraduate studies in anaesthesia at RG Kar Medical College, said, "According to my ranking and the vacancy list, I opted for RG Kar during counselling. Now, when the final list has come, I find that I have been posted to Raiganj Medical College. This is vendetta," Economic Times reports.

Also Read: RG Kar Doctor Rape-Murder: Junior Doctors protest over delay in CBI Probe

Haldar echoed similar concerns, stating, “I am compelled to see this as a vindictive action.”

Speaking to Economic Times, Naiya added, "The reason is our participation in the RG Kar protests. The move is also destroying the sanctity of the counselling process, introduced two years ago to make it transparent." He noted that despite opting for Arambag Medical College, he was posted to Purulia Medical College.

The state’s bond service policy mandates a three-year service term for all postgraduate doctors: one year at a medical college, followed by two years at a district or sub-divisional hospital. The process is intended to be merit-based and transparent, with students choosing from a list of vacancies based on their ranks.

Of the 871 junior doctors posted this year, the vast majority reportedly received placements consistent with the counselling results. However, the transfers in the cases of Makata, Naiya, and Halder have sparked protests among junior doctors, with several gathering outside the office of Principal Health Secretary NS Nigam, who reportedly left without addressing the protesters.

According to Hindustan Times, Nigam said before departing, “Anybody having a problem can inform the department in writing.”

The three doctors were vocal participants in the mass protests following the August 9, 2024 rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee, a case that had shaken Bengal’s medical community. The movement gained widespread support from several doctors' groups, including the Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal.

Dr. Punyabrata Gun, a convenor of the Joint Platform, condemned the transfers, saying, “The government’s pressure tactics cannot crush the movement.”

This is not the first time doctors involved in the movement have come under official scrutiny. Earlier this year, some were summoned by police regarding allegations of fund misappropriation related to donations raised during the protests.

Also Read: Alleged Misuse of Funds: 7 Junior doctors leading RG Kar movement summoned by police

A cybercrime probe was initiated following a complaint from a Kolkata resident, Raja Ghosh, who claimed he didn’t receive a receipt for a ₹5,000 donation to the cause.

Separately, the West Bengal Medical Council has also scrutinized junior doctors involved in the protest. In January, the council questioned whether Kinjal Nanda, a leading figure in the movement, had met the mandatory 80% attendance at hospital wards and classes.

Dr. Asfaqullah Naiya, one of the transferred doctors, had previously been investigated for being incorrectly described as an MD in publicity material for a rural health camp—a charge that led to a police raid at his home.

Also Read: RG Kar Protest leader transferred to Darjeeling