Landlord comes to Naga doctor’s rescue in Kolkata

(Left) Dr Angukato Z Achumi (Right) Biswajit Dey

Morung Express News

Dimapur | May 13

In Kolkata’s Midnapore, a young Naga doctor’s landlord displayed an exemplary act of humanity and kindness when the doctor was subjected to racial slurs and abuse by some unidentified men on a bike.

Angukato Z Achumi is a second year post graduate student of surgery at Midnapore Medical College. His daily routine involves going to the hospital for duty, coming home for lunch or dinner and returning to duty. On days when he has 24 hour shifts, he works from 8am to 8am the next day. The journey from work to home takes around 20 minutes and due to the absence of public transport, the young doctor from Dimapur has to walk to and from work these days.

It was during one of these trips that he encountered the men who hurled racial slurs at him. “There were three of them and they shouted at me saying I brought Coronavirus to West Bengal,” Dr Angukato told The Morung Express on Wednesday.

“This was not the first time I had experienced such abuse. Earlier on several occasions, I have also been called names like ‘Chin’, ‘momo’ etc. But during the pandemic, several comments were passed at me while on my way from work, accusing me of bringing Coronavirus in the locality,” he narrated.

The doctor did not respond to them and walked home quietly, had his dinner and returned to work. However, the incident left him disturbed and dejected.

Noticing his sullen mood, his landlord, Biswajit Dey who is a teacher by profession asked him the reason.

When Dr Angukato narrated the incident to him, Dey got furious and immediately reported it to the Kotwali Police Station. The police took note of the complaint and assured Dr Angukato that strict action would be initiated against anyone harassing him in the future.

Even on other days and especially during the pandemic, the landlord has been very considerate towards our well being and safety, Dr Angukato who lives with his mother and younger brother in the rented apartment said. He would enquire if we had enough ration or needed any help. He even offered to waive the house rent if needed, Dr Angukato said, and expressed gratitude for the act of kindness during the pandemic.

The landlord also reportedly spoke to all the neighbours and told them about how Dr Angukato could have returned home to Nagaland, where there are zero COVID-19 cases. But he chose to stay back and attend to his duties. However, according to Dey, he only did what any right thinking and educated person would do. “Angukato is like my brother and I have known him for a long time. When I heard of the harassment he had been facing, I only thought of how wrong it was and that it should be stopped,” Dey told The Morung Express.

Angukato is one of the warriors at the frontline of the COVID-19 battle and everyone should appreciate what he and all the healthcare workers are doing, Dey said, and added that any right thinking and educated individual would have done the same. “It is our duty to protect our doctors who protect us,” Dey said.