The National Commission for Women (NCW) is scheduled to visit Panskura Super Specialty Hospital on Saturday following the alleged rape of a female employee at the facility. Meanwhile, the East Midnapore District Health Department has set up a five-member committee to investigate the incident.

The committee, which includes three women officials from the health department and a female lawyer, visited the hospital on Friday and held discussions with the hospital superintendent. Several written complaints were also submitted by hospital staff during the visit.

The NCW took suo motu cognisance of the case and decided to send a team to Panskura to meet the victim and inspect the hospital. NCW member Dr. Archana Majumdar told IANS, “We are on our way to Panskura. We will meet the victim, visit the hospital, and brief about our findings later today.”

The alleged incident occurred on the night of September 14. The survivor, a contractual staffer, accused the facility’s manager, Zahir Abbas Khan, who has been arrested. The victim claimed that Khan had threatened her with death if she spoke about the incident. Subsequent allegations from other female staff suggested that the accused had previously harassed women at the hospital.

Protests erupted at the hospital earlier this week after staff alleged that prior complaints to the Medical Superintendent were ignored. Hospital Superintendent Kaushik Dhal stated that no replacement for the accused has yet been appointed, but hospital services remain unaffected. He added that the recruiting agency has been instructed to verify the criminal record of any new facility manager.

The police said Khan will be brought to the hospital soon for a crime reconstruction. His custody ends next Monday, after which he will be produced in court, with a request for extended custody likely.

Meanwhile, three representatives of the West Bengal State Women’s Commission, led by Chairperson Leena Gangopadhyay, visited Panskura on Friday night. They met the victim, gathered information, and reviewed the case diary at the Panskura police station to monitor the progress of the investigation.