Arunabha Dutta Chowdhury, the former head of the department of chest medicine of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a young doctor was brutally raped and killed on August 9, could not join Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) on Thursday following protests by the junior doctors here.

The 31-year-old doctor, whose grisly end on the RG Kar hospital premises has shocked the nation, was a trainee in the chest medicine department when Dutta Chowdhury was the head.

Amid the controversy, Dutta Chowdhury was transferred to the MMCH. Sources in the MMCH said Dutta Chowdhury was supposed to join the chest department on Thursday. The doctor had also apprised the hospital authorities of the same.

However, as news spread, the junior doctors started agitating at the administrative building of the MMCH and the office of the principal, demanding that the doctor should not be allowed to join their institution.

“We, the students, do not want him to join the MMCH in the context of the present situation. We believe he should not be allowed to join here till we get the desired justice (for the RG Kar victim),” said a junior doctor who was part of the protest.

The agitating junior doctors, however, clarified that they had no personal grudge against Dutta Chowdhury.

“We have no personal grudge against Dutta Chowdhury. But in the current situation, when we are fighting to seek proper justice (for their deceased colleague), no doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital should join here,” said Chiranjit Kumar, an intern.

During the day, Parthapratim Mukherjee, the principal of MMCH, the medical super cum vice principal (MSVP) Prasenjit Bar and other officials held a meeting with the agitating doctors.

The junior doctors remained steadfast in their demand. Subsequently, Dutta Chowdhury could not join his new posting on Thursday.

“We have apprised superior authorities about the demands of the junior doctors and their continuous protests. Dutta Chowdhury has not been able to join so far, “ the MMCH principal said.

A team from Englishbazar police station kept vigil on the MMCH student agitations throughout the day.