A senior operation theatre technician of a private hospital in Alipore was arrested on the charge of stealing instruments, consumables and medicines from the operation theatre on Thursday afternoon.

Atanu Shree, who has been attached with the hospital for more than 10 years, was found with illegal possession of consumables like cotton, scissors, gauge and medicines meant for use at the operation theatre, police said.

Alipore police station started a theft case after receiving a complaint from the person in charge of the hospital’s security.

Hospital guards apparently caught Shree trying to carry the goods out of the hospital through the main gate, the police said.

The accused employee was handed over to officers of the police station where he was arrested and charged with theft.

The fact that some medical consumables and various equipment had often been reported missing from the

operation theatre had prompted guards to keep a watch on all employees attached with the operation theatre, the police quoted hospital officials as saying.

The medicines, consumables and equipment seized from Shree are worth Rs 45,951, hospital officials have told the police.

Officers of Alipore police station Cops have collected CCTV footage from the hospital as supportive evidence to justify the charge against him, the police said.

Investigations have shown this was not the first instance of theft at the hospital, the police said.

“We are still to ascertain what used to be done with all the medical equipment and consumables stolen from the operation theatre,” an officer of Alipore police station said.