Harassment finger at civic body doctor: 8 Asha workers write to mayor, lodge complaint
Telegraph | 21 March 2025
Eight health workers of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation have accused a doctor they had been assisting of sexual harassment.
Based on their complaint, the civic body has suspended the 62-year-old doctor, BMC sources said.
Police said a separate criminal case had been started against him at Baguiati police station based on the complaint of one of the eight women.
According to the complaint lodged by the women with the Bidhannagar mayor, the gynaecologist allegedly subjected them to lewd remarks, inappropriate touch and threats of job termination.
Bidhannagar mayor Krishna Chakraborty said she had received the complaint from eight Asha Karmi (health workers) on March 11.
“The complaint was against a doctor attached with the BMC for several years... We had a meeting and show-caused the doctor. He responded and we suspended him,” she said.
The doctor was posted in one of the 12 urban primary health care services (UPHCS) of the BMC.
Accredited Social Health Activists (Asha) and honorary workers do community work, vaccine follow-ups and encourage institutional deliveries.
“The doctor and the eight Asha Karmi women are engaged by the state government. This is a very serious allegation. I sincerely hope the truth will come out,” Chakraborty said.
One of the eight women lodged a complaint with Baguiati police station on March 17, the police said.
All eight women complained to the mayor and one of them lodged the police complaint. The case was registered on Monday.
The police said though they received the formal complaint from one woman, they found out about allegations from seven others.
“According to the complaint, the doctor used to pass lewd remarks at the complainant, touch her inappropriately and threaten her with her termination if she dared to report the matter,” said an officer of Baguiati police station.
Cops are looking for the accused doctor who was not at home when a team went, an officer said.
An officer said a summons would be pasted on his house if he continued to be at large.
The police said they will submit a prayer before court seeking permission to record the women’s statements.