Agartala Government Medical College tightens security after women's hostel breach

The Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GB Pant Hospital have strengthened security measures after an unidentified masked intruder entered the women's resident doctors' hostel last week, exposing major security lapses on the campus.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, August 5, AGMC Principal Prof. Tapan Majumder said the incident occurred at around 11.45 pm on July 30, when the masked individual entered the room of a first-year postgraduate woman doctor through an open balcony entrance.

The intruder allegedly pushed the doctor from behind, snatched her mobile phone and fled before security personnel could reach the spot, despite responding to the victim's cries for help.

Majumder said police launched an investigation immediately after the incident and examined CCTV footage. However, the footage revealed significant gaps in the hospital's surveillance system, capturing only the suspect from behind while he was fleeing near the auditorium.

The incident also exposed shortcomings in the hospital's night security arrangements. According to the principal, the last routine patrol had been conducted at 9.45 pm, nearly two hours before the intrusion.

Following the incident, show-cause notices have been issued to the security personnel on duty. The hospital administration has also initiated several corrective measures, including regular plainclothes patrolling, installation of additional fencing around the women's hostel and fitting protective grills on hostel windows.

Hospital authorities also identified inadequate boundary walls and multiple unrestricted entry and exit points as major vulnerabilities that make the campus susceptible to unauthorised access.

Illegal parking of private vehicles and auto-rickshaws around the auditorium and the rear side of the campus during evening hours has also been identified as a security concern. To improve safety, the area near the hostel canteen has been declared a residential zone, and vehicle parking has been prohibited there after dusk.

Majumder said the hospital requires a modern, technology-driven security system to prevent similar incidents in the future. He noted that most security guards are unarmed and have limited capacity to respond to emergencies, adding that additional police patrolling has been requested to strengthen security on the campus.

During the briefing, hospital authorities also expressed concern over an acute shortage of radiologists, saying the shortage continues to affect diagnostic services at the state's premier government medical institution.