An orthopaedic surgeon who had volunteered to join the fight against Covid-19 at his workplace in East Midnapore, and did what many doctors are shying away from, allegedly faced his neighbours’ wrath on his return home to Calcutta last Saturday.

Residents of the housing complex where the surgeon has an apartment allegedly protested his return, for a day after more than two months.

He said the neighbours tagged his wife and son, who stay in the apartment while he spends most of his days in East Midnapore’s Egra for work, as potential carriers of the novel coronavirus.

They allegedly complained to the residents’ welfare association against the doctor and also threatened to “report” against him and his family to the local councillor.

The doctor, who resumed work at Egra Sub-divisional Hospital on Monday, told Metro that he had returned home for a day after spending the required number of days in quarantine at his quarters in Egra after the last Covid-19 patient had been discharged from his hospital.

The doctor, who had last visited his home in February, before his son’s Class X board exams, said his son and wife were not stepping out fearing harassment by neighbours.

A number of Covid-19 cases were reported at the Egra hospital, following which a clinic to scan the contacts of the positive cases had to be set up on an emergency basis.

Ranjan Roy, the medical superintendent of Egra Sub-divisional Hospital, said the surgeon, despite not being involved in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, was one of the three who had volunteered to collect samples from suspects, a job several others were reluctant to do.

“He is an orthopedic surgeon and was under no compulsion to join the team. But he took it upon himself to collect samples during the contact-screening process of Covid-19 suspects and inspired nurses, ground staff and even lift operators to overcome their fear and join the fight against the virus,” Roy said.

“I heard about what he and his family had to face in Calcutta. It is shocking.”

Back home, the doctor’s wife said: “I have not stepped out of home since the time I heard this. I am afraid they will harass me with baseless questions. My neighbours had lit lamps and banged utensils to show solidarity with frontline fighters. Now, some of them have lodged a complaint against us with the association.”

She added: “We are living here for eight years. We have some very good neighbours and are relying on them in these trying times.”

The doctor is back to treating orthopedic patients. While he was on his way to Egra, a member of the residents’ association called him up and told him about the allegations against him and his family.

“I have not violated any rule. I completed my 14-day quarantine a month ago, after the last Covid-19 patient had been discharged from our hospital. Some of the people who are making these baseless allegations have taken my help in all types of medical emergencies,” the doctor said.

On March 25, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said: “I am asking the administration to ensure that doctors, nurses and other health workers don’t face any problem. They should not face social boycott. They are fighting to prevent the spread of the virus and it is our responsibility to ensure proper security for them.”

This newspaper contacted the councillor of the area where the surgeon’s housing complex is located. She said she had been “informed about the arrival of the doctor in the locality”.

She said she did not receive any complaint in writing but “someone in the neighbourhood told me about objections over the doctor’s return home”.

“I do not approve of such objections,” she said.