The mysterious death of a nurse inside Kolkata’s Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRS) has raised several questions, with her husband requesting authorities to conduct the post-mortem at a hospital other than NRS. The nurse, identified as Rupali, was found unconscious inside a hospital washroom while on night duty on Wednesday.
According to sources, there were no visible injury marks on Rupali’s body and no suicide note was found. Her mobile phone was reportedly lying near her. The circumstances have left her husband, Rahul Das, suspicious about the cause and manner of her death.
Das has informed the NRS authorities that he does not want his wife’s post-mortem to be conducted at the hospital. He has requested that the examination be carried out at another medical facility.
NRS authorities have said they will respect the family’s preference regarding the location of the post-mortem. The final decision is expected after discussions between the police, hospital authorities and the family.
The incident has triggered a senior-level investigation. Health Minister Shardwat Mukhopadhyay visited NRS on Thursday afternoon, while senior Kolkata Police officials also reached the hospital. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kunal Agrawal and Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Suburban) Subimal Pal were among the officers who visited the scene.
Police have sealed three locations connected with the investigation and the homicide branch has begun examining the circumstances surrounding the death. “The post-mortem location has not yet been decided. We will proceed according to the wishes of the family,” Additional Commissioner Agrawal said.
“There are three crime scenes. All three have been sealed,” he added. Police have also seized a stretcher from the site and are examining CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Rupali, a resident of Dum Dum, was posted on night duty at the gynaecology department’s High Dependency Unit. Her shift began at around 8 pm. Police sources said she went to the washroom at approximately 10.20 pm.
When she did not return, her colleagues reportedly began calling out to her at around 10.27 pm. After receiving no response, they broke open the door and found her lying unconscious inside. She was immediately taken for medical examination, but doctors found that she had already died.
Investigators are also looking into the role of fentanyl in the case. Hospital sources said Rupali had taken three fentanyl vials from the nursing station before entering the washroom. Fentanyl is a potent opioid medication used in hospitals under controlled medical supervision.
Doctors reportedly suspect that the drug may have been injected into a vein near the elbow. However, investigators have not yet established why she allegedly took three vials with her or what happened inside the washroom.
The absence of apparent external injuries and a suicide note has added to the uncertainty surrounding the case. The post-mortem examination is expected to be crucial in determining the precise cause of death.
As investigators examine CCTV footage and other evidence from the sealed locations, the police are also trying to establish a clear timeline of the nurse’s final moments. The family’s request for a post-mortem at another hospital is likely to remain an important aspect of the investigation.
