Doctor & protest leader found dead at Kolkata home
The Statesman | 11 June 2025
A prominent paediatrician and activist, who led protests following the 2019 RG Kar Medical College incident, was found dead at his residence in the Behala area of south Kolkata on Sunday night, police said.
Dr Pralay Basu, 49, a senior member of the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum (WBDF), was discovered hanging at his home, prompting widespread shock and grief among the medical community. Police suspect suicide and have launched an investigation. No suicide note has been recovered so far.
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“He had been suffering from illness over the past two weeks and was reportedly undergoing psychiatric consultation,” a police officer said, requesting anonymity as the investigation is ongoing. Dr Basu, a graduate of Burdwan Medical College, was a noted child specialist. His wife is also a practicing physician. The couple have two children. Basu was a vocal critic of the state’s handling of the RG Kar hospital case, in which a female doctor was raped and murdered, sparking massive protests across West Bengal and drawing national and international attention. He had publicly questioned the judicial process and demanded stronger accountability.
Although a civic volunteer was later sentenced to life imprisonment in the case, many activists and the victim’s family have expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict. Basu’s death has reignited concerns about mental health pressures among medical professionals. “This is a grim reminder of how deeply mental health issues can affect doctors too,” said a senior WBDF member.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the healthcare community and revived memories of the movement that once challenged the state’s medical and political systems.
Authorities have ordered a post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death.