Nurse found dead at NRS Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata; probe ordered
Image used for representational purposes. | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
A nurse was found dead in the washroom of the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata late on Wednesday (August 12, 2026).
Kolkata police have ordered an inquiry into the incident.
The 30-year-old nurse was on the night shift at the hospital and started work on Wednesday around 8:00 p.m. After about two hours, her colleagues could not find her. She was later found lying unconscious on the floor of a hospital bathroom, Kolkata police officials said on Thursday (Aug 13, 2026).
She was pronounced dead after being transported for medical treatment, according to officials. “She was immediately taken for medical treatment where the attending physician examined her and pronounced her dead. A thorough inspection of the scene revealed no visible signs of injury or suicidal signs,” they added.
An autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death. Police have not yet established whether it was a case of suicide or foul play.
In particular, two years ago, on August 9, the discovery of the body of a 31-year-old female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital hit the state and raised several questions about the safety of medical staff in hospitals and the safety of women at their workplace.
Speaking on the matter, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kolkata Police Kunal Agarwal said that the deceased was working in the gynecology department. “We will do the post-mortem depending on the wishes of the family of the deceased. We did not find any suicide note immediately. We have sealed off the place where the incident took place,” Mr Agarwal said. CCTV footage from the area is also being examined and police have contacted the deceased’s husband for further details.
The sister’s family has requested that her autopsy be conducted at any facility other than NRS, Medical College to maintain transparency. According to West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee, the Medical College in Calcutta has been selected for the autopsy. The body of the deceased woman was taken there for the procedure.
The minister also visited the NRS hospital in the afternoon and assured to meet the family members of the deceased nurse.
“We also have no answers as to how and why he doubts. But we should not assume anything, these things can only be answered by the police after an investigation. All the evidence has been handed over to the relevant police officials,” said Dr. Mukherjee and added that NRS Hospital is also launching an independent investigation into the incident.
According to colleagues of the deceased woman, the woman was recently married.
The Trinamool Congress, an opposition party, criticized the incident and said women under the Bharatiya Janta Party-led government in West Bengal continued to face threats to their safety. “How many more tragedies before the government steps in?” published Trinamool official page on their social media.
Published – August 13, 2026 1:49 PM IST