Kolkata Police have raised concerns over the deteriorating health of Dr. Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor who has been on a hunger strike at the Dorina crossing since October 5. In a formal letter, the Officer-in-Charge of Hare Street Police Station highlighted the worsening condition of the doctor, who is staging the protest on an unauthorized platform.
The letter, addressed to Dr. Mahato, stated, “You are on a hunger strike at the Dorina crossing since last Saturday on a stage erected without permission from the competent authority.” The police expressed worry after assessing information displayed on a health parameters board near the protest site, as well as other sources, which indicated Dr. Mahato’s deteriorating health.
The Kolkata Police previously offered Dr. Mahato the use of a KP Police Ambulance, which he refused. To address his declining health, the police requested that the West Bengal Department of Health deploy a medical team to assist him. The letter urged Dr. Mahato to vacate his current location and seek medical attention to prevent further complications. The authorities assured him of full logistical support if he complied with the request.
In a related development, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front has written to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, expressing frustration over the lack of response from the state government regarding their demands. The group expressed disappointment that it took 96 hours of Dr. Mahato’s hunger strike to prompt a meeting with government officials.
The letter, sent by the junior doctors, stated, “We were disheartened by the fact that it took 96 hours of an indefinite hunger strike for you to even call us for a meeting.” The doctors also criticized the lack of timely updates, pointing out that their emails from September 26 and September 29 had gone unanswered.
The doctors further emphasized their right to formal updates on the progress of their demands, insisting on a weekly status report from the government. “We reserve every right to formally know the progress of the works that are being done by the state,” the letter read, urging for transparency.
They also noted that it had been 23 days since their last meeting with the government, during which no promised security audit had been conducted. The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front demanded an immediate update, stating, “We request you to provide us a status report of the works undertaken by yourselves and also the security audit undertaken by you (as stated by yourself) immediately.”
As Dr. Mahato’s health worsens and tensions rise, the doctors’ demands for timely government action and accountability remain pressing issues in this ongoing protest.
