A doctor was assaulted at a rural hospital in Malda district on Tuesday morning and a portion of the facility vandalised by a mob following the death of a newborn.

Sources said homemaker Sahina Khatun had been admitted to the Silampur rural hospital under Kaliachak police station’s jurisdiction on Monday night for delivery.

She gave birth to a boy on Tuesday morning. The newborn, however, died soon because of certain complications. When hospital authorities informed Khatun’s family about the newborn’s death and she would be discharged soon, they started a demonstration.

The protesters alleged that the newborn had died because of the negligence of doctors. Khatun’s neighbours at Silampur also joined the protest. The mob caught hold of doctor Prosok Bhumi and assaulted him. Bhowmik was injured and is under treatment.

The mob also vandalised the furniture and other items in the emergency wing and the office room of the hospital. When police arrived at the hospital, the attackers fled.

Khatun said: “The baby was in a stable condition after birth. Sometime after the delivery, I was told that he had died. It is because of their negligence that I lost my child.”