An advocate representing junior doctors from Bengal told the Supreme Court on Thursday that many of them are being “terrorised” and are “feeling targeted” for taking part in the protests against the rape and murder at RG Kar hospital.

Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, heading the three-judge bench hearing the case, called it a “serious thing” and asked the lawyer who are terrorising the doctors.

The lawyer said 70 junior residents and interns were willing to give the names of those who were terrorising them in a sealed cover to the registrar-general of the court.

The Telegraph spoke to a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar, who said he was not aware of any threats received by any of his friends.

But he said there is a “feeling of fear” because of the way students who had protested against irregularities at RG Kar were treated by the hospital authorities.

During the hearing, advocate Geeta Luthra, who appeared for the West Bengal Junior Doctor’s Front, told the bench that “those who have spoken up are feeling targeted already”.

“They are still terrorised, they are still in fear. Our senior residents are back at work. We will give it to the registrar-general in a sealed cover the names of the people (who are terrorising the junior doctors). There are about 70 junior residents and interns. They are feeling terrorised, they are threatened. They are actually being targeted in the hospital,” Luthra said.

The chief justice appeared to be alarmed hearing this. “But terrorised by whom, because this is a serious thing,” he asked.

“By members of the administration, by people who are in the hospital,” Luthra said.

Earlier, an advocate who appeared for the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD), an umbrella body of doctors’ associations, told the bench that the doctors were being terrorised “by officials, by goons”.

“I am for 20,000 doctors from Kolkata. Many of them work at RG Kar,” said Karuna Nundy, who appeared for the JPD, which represents senior doctors. “There is a concern. Already a backlash. Action has been taken against the doctors who are protesting.”

Punyabrata Goon, joint convenor of the JPD, said the Bengal health department had issued an order transferring many senior doctors (faculty members) who stood by the protesters. “The order was taken back in the face of mounting pressure but it was an attempt to target doctors who are speaking up for the protests.”

Junior doctors and students at RG Kar told The Telegraph they had to face threats from seniors known to be close to former principal Sandip Ghosh.

“Ghosh has been removed but his stooges are still around. One of them threatened me saying I will not get my MBBS degree for taking part in the protests,” an intern said.