30-Year-Old Nurse Found Dead Inside NRS Hospital Restroom, Cause Of Death Unclear

A 30-year-old nurse was found dead inside a locked toilet at Kolkata’s Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRS) on Wednesday night, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

The deceased was identified as Rupali Burman, who worked in the gynaecology department. Police said the incident came to light at around 10:30 pm after hospital staff noticed that the restroom door had remained locked for some time and received no response despite repeated calls.

According to preliminary findings, Burman had reported for her night shift at 8 pm at the nursing station of the Gynaecology Department’s High Dependency Unit (HDU). After attending to a patient, she entered the HDU restroom at around 10:20 pm.

When she did not return, her colleagues called out to her from outside at about 10:27 pm. After receiving no response, they alerted authorities and eventually forced open the door. Burman was found lying unconscious on the floor.

Her colleagues placed her on a trolley and rushed her for medical attention, but she reportedly died before a doctor could examine her.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kunal Agarwal said the post-mortem examination would be conducted and stressed that suicide had not been established. Kolkata Police’s DD Homicide Department has taken over the investigation, while a forensic team is examining the scene.

Police have also seized CCTV footage from a camera outside the restroom, which is expected to help reconstruct the sequence of events.

Separately, the state health department has constituted an inquiry committee and asked it to submit its report within seven days.