Senior doctors at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) — the oldest and largest state-run referral hospital in north Bengal — have demanded that the authorities reclaim four rooms that were allottedto the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) at the campus

Shanker Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri, reached the college on Friday and stuck posters, demanding a comprehensive probe of the alleged malpractices in NBMCH and other medical colleges of the state.

After the brutal rape and murder of the junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta, protests have rocked NBMCH.

A section of students and junior doctors had alleged that a group of junior doctors associated with Avik Dey, a former PGT of SSKM hospital in Calcutta whose name has figured in the RG Kar incident, resorted to highhandedness and threat culture. These people were also allegedly involved in malpractices during the exams and manipulatedthe results.

The protests had prompted the dean of student affairs and his deputy to resign. Indrajit Saha, the principal of NBMCH, had also constituted a committee to probe into the charges. Based on the findings of the committee, steps were taken against seven doctors and five students.

On Friday, a group of senior doctors resorted to protests alleging that theauthorities had provided four rooms to WBMC to set up its office in north Bengal at the super-specialty wing ofthe hospital.

“The office was semi-functional but those involved in the ‘threat culture’ and other corruption and malpractices used the space. We want theauthorities to reclaim these rooms,” said Sajal Kumar Biswas, a senior doctor at NBMCH.

Sudipta Roy, the WBMC president, is under the scanner of the enforcement directorate while Sushanta Roy, WBMC vice-president from Jalpaiguri, was allegedly present at RG Kar after the crime despite having no connection with the concerned hospital.

“Sitting in these rooms, these people used to run the show. We don’t want the controversial office to run from here. The principal and the medical superintendent should act and take back these rooms so that those can be used for healthcare,” said another senior doctor.

Sources said Kaustav Nayak, the past director of medical education (DME) whom the state removed from the post following the statewide protests of junior doctors, had issued an order seeking the allotment of two rooms for WBMC.

“However, four rooms were allotted. Also, the office hardly functioned in the interest of the medical fraternity and instead turned out to be a hub of malpractice and corruption. We don’t want such an office on our campus,” the doctor added.

While the senior doctors, who were backed by their junior and medical students flagged this newdemand, Shankar Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri, reached NBMCH.

“After the RG Kar incident, we are often hearing about the highhandedness of the ‘north Bengal lobby’. It is disappointing for all of us who live in this region. Also, students and junior doctors here have complained about malpractices, corruption and highhandedness by some people. The authorities have taken certain steps but we want a comprehensive probe in NBMCH and other medical colleges of the state,” Ghosh, who is also BJP’s chief whip in the Assembly, said.

He was also seen putting up posters over the demand in different locations of the health establishment.

Saha, the principal, claimed they have taken certain steps.

“We are gathering information and anybody else found involved in highhandedness or corruptionwill face strict steps from us. So far, as the rooms provided to WBMC are concerned, if the council has more rooms with it than the numberstipulated by the health department, we will reclaim it,” he said.