A junior doctor on an indefinite hunger strike at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) since October 7 was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital on Tuesday evening as his health worsened.

Earlier in the day, the hospital saw chaos as a group of people who claimed to be relatives of patients ransacked an office of a hospital official and assaulted a private security guard, complaining about the absence of doctors and lack of medicines.

Souvik Banerjee, an intern at the North Bengal Dental College & Hospital (NBDCH), which is also on the NBMCH premises, had continued his fast for eight days to back the ongoing agitation of junior doctors for their 10-point demands in the wake of the RG Kar tragedy, when his blood pressure dipped.

“As his BP fell, he developed epigastric pain with bradycardia and dropped beats. Also, it is suspected that there is ketosis in his fluids. That is why he has been shifted to ICU,” said a senior doctor at the NBMCH.

Patients' kin gather in the front of vice-principal's office at the NBMCH on Tuesday morning.

A couple of days back, Alok Verma, a first-year postgraduate trainee in the psychiatry department of NBMCH, who had launched the fast with Souvik, was also admitted to the critical care unit as he fell ill.

On Monday, Sandip Mondal, a second-year postgraduate trainee at the ENT department of NBMCH, joined the strike. “He is continuing the hunger strike,” thedoctor added.

A group of senior doctors at NBMCH, including Sanjay Mallick, the medical superintendent-cum-vice principal (MSVP) of the institution, observed a 12-hour symbolic hunger strike on Tuesday as a mark of solidarity with the junior doctors.

“We hope the state government will act and the impasse will be resolved soon,”said Mallick.

However, the hospital saw chaos and unrest on Tuesday as a group of people ransacked the office of Mallick and thrashed a private security guard at the NBMCH.

Sources said that in the morning, some people turned up with patients at the neurology and psychiatry departments in the OPD (outpatient department) wing ofthe NBMCH.

As they could not find the doctors, they turned angry and resorted to protests.

Some of them walked up to the chamber of the MSVP. They broke glasses and threw furniture here and there while venting their ire.

The situation heated up as a person who was accompanying a patient assaulted a private security guard as the latter tried to stop him from breaking furniture.

“Some people got intolerant and resorted to vandalism. If they didn’t find the doctors at the OPDs, they should have gone to the emergency for consultation. Also, the pharmacy is open and medicines are available,” said Mallick.

The police personnel posted at the camp in NBMCH rushed to the spot and detained two women and a man involved in the violence.

“We came to the hospital yesterday (Monday) for treatment but, due to the absence of doctors had to return home. We came back today again and faced the same situation,” said a protester who was detained.

The incident highlights the deepening healthcare crisis in Bengal, with patients and their families growing increasingly frustrated over the lack of medical services and attention due to the ongoing impasse between the junior doctors and the state government.

Mallick said that there were multiple entry and exit points at the NBMCH.

“We want the police to increase the security cover on the campus,” he said.

“The private security personnel are not well-trained and also, people are not afraid of them,” the MSVP added.