A Kolkata doctor accused of refusing treatment and spewing hate speech against a pregnant Muslim woman
NEW DELHI — A disturbing incident of medical negligence and hate speech has come to light in Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, where a pregnant Muslim woman was allegedly refused treatment and verbally abused by a doctor. The incident occurred during a routine prenatal check-up at Dr CK Sarkar’s clinic, where the woman had been receiving treatment for seven months.
According to the woman’s family, the doctor’s behaviour changed dramatically after she learned the woman’s full name. The doctor allegedly made hateful comments, invoking the recent terror attack on tourists in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam, and told the woman to seek treatment in madrasas or mosques. The woman’s family claims that the doctor’s words left the woman traumatised, and she refused further care from the doctor, a report in The Observer Post said on Friday.
“For the first time, we were made to feel like we’re Muslims,” says Mehfuza Khatun, a relative of the seven-month pregnant woman.
“The doctor took her consultation fee and started writing her name,” said Khatun. “Then she asked her full name again. When she heard it, she said things that shocked us. She told her, ‘Go to madrasas or mosques for your treatment. That’s where they teach you how to become terrorists.’”
The incident took place just days after the Pahalgam attack, The doctor allegedly invoked the tragedy to spew hate against the patient.
“She told her, ‘You people killed innocent Hindus in Pahalgam. You should be killed too. Your husband should be murdered by Hindus so that you know what it feels like,’” the report cited Khatun as saying.
The pregnant patient was accompanied only by her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Terrified by the remarks, she rushed home without completing her appointment. Later, after gathering courage, she called the doctor to ask why she was treated that way.
“We have a recording of that call,” Khatun said.
The conversation, according to Khatun, went like this: “‘Why did you insult me like this?’ The doctor replied, ‘What I did was right. You people are uneducated murderers.’”
Khatun claimed the doctor repeated the same hateful words and then cut the call.
The family says the woman has since become mentally distressed and is refusing further care from the doctor. “Pregnancy requires stability, both physical and emotional,” said Khatun. “But she’s now scared, broken. She’s not in a good mental space.”
The family has filed a complaint with the local police and approached the health department, but no action has been taken yet. The doctor has reportedly started sending threatening messages to the family, claiming they are harassing her.
Meanwhile, the doctor has allegedly started texting the family, saying, “Don’t harass me unnecessarily,” the report said.
“But who is harassing whom here?” asks Khatun. “Refusing treatment is one thing. But calling us terrorists and murderers? Saying Hindus should kill my brother? That’s not just medical negligence — it’s hate speech,” she said.
The family says the doctor lives in the same residential complex as the patient. Since the incident, she has been living in fear.
“She doesn’t let us leave the house. She says she’s scared someone will attack us next,” Khatun said. “She won’t eat properly, she barely sleeps. She’s constantly anxious.”
The family is committed to pursuing justice through legal means. “We haven’t even told our father yet,” she said. “We don’t want any chaos. We just want justice — peacefully,” Khatun was quoted as saying.
She added, “Even as a lawyer, I’m scared. We have money, education, and connections — and still, we’re treated like this. Imagine the fear of those who have nothing.”
This incident highlights the growing concern of discrimination and hate crimes against Muslims in India. The family’s experience is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of Muslim citizens, particularly those who are poor and marginalised.
The family says the doctor lives in the same residential complex as the patient. Since the incident, she has been living in fear.
“She doesn’t let us leave the house. She says she’s scared someone will attack us next,” Khatun said. “She won’t eat properly, she barely sleeps. She’s constantly anxious.”
The family is committed to pursuing justice through legal means. “We haven’t even told our father yet,” she said. “We don’t want any chaos. We just want justice — peacefully,” Khatun was quoted as saying.
She added, “Even as a lawyer, I’m scared. We have money, education, and connections — and still, we’re treated like this. Imagine the fear of those who have nothing.”
This incident highlights the growing concern of discrimination and hate crimes against Muslims in India. The family’s experience is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of Muslim citizens, particularly those who are poor and marginalised.
