In a shocking and deeply disturbing incident, stray dogs were found mutilating and feeding on a human body inside the premises of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), exposing severe lapses in security, hygiene, and crisis management in the region’s largest government healthcare facility.
The grisly episode, which occurred within the sprawling 104-acre campus of NBMCH, has sparked widespread outrage and led to the launch of an internal inquiry. According to eyewitnesses and hospital sources, a pack of stray dogs tore apart the leg of the body, suspected to be that of an unidentified person, and ran off with it—raising pressing questions over the dignity of the dead and the safety of the living in the government-run hospital.
Condemning the incident in the strongest terms, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said, “The pathetic state of healthcare continues to plague North Bengal Medical College. Why was a dead body left unattended?
Medical Superintendent and vice-principal Dr Sanjay Mallick admitted that the dog menace inside the hospital campus is not new. According to him, nearly 150 stray dogs have made the premises their home, feeding on leftover food from patients and their relatives.
“We’ve received several complaints from staff and doctors. Some have suffered dog bites, and even on-duty doctors have been chased at night. Despite informing the animal resource department and approaching NGOs, no action has been taken,” said Dr Mallick.
He revealed that the hospital had considered sterilisation drives but could not proceed due to financial constraints. “The cost of sterilising each dog is around Rs 1,000, and we do not have the funds to bear that expense,” he added.
But the stray dogs are not the only concern. “Numberless cows enter the campus regularly due to broken boundary walls. They even take shelter in hostels. Though we have adequate security guards, they are helpless when it comes to tackling this,” Dr Mallick said.
Speaking on the mutilated body, Dr Mallick clarified that the deceased was not an admitted patient. “The body likely belonged to an outsider, possibly a vagabond or a destitute individual who died on campus,” he said.
The NBMCH, being the largest public healthcare facility in the region, often becomes a shelter for homeless and ailing people. Many of them, suffering from chronic conditions, use the emergency services as a last resort for survival. “Several such hapless individuals occupy hospital beds, which often creates a crisis when genuine emergency patients arrive,” Dr Mallick noted.
Following the incident, the body was shifted to the morgue and police were informed. The hospital authorities have also initiated an internal inquiry.
While the hospital struggles with issues rooted in infrastructure decay, social complexity, and lack of resources, this incident has brought the focus back on the urgent need for healthcare reform in north Bengal. Whether the outrage leads to meaningful change or fades like previous crises remains to be seen—but the scar left by this incident on public consciousness is unlikely to heal anytime soon.