Two burglaries in a row have hit the ENT department of Medical College and Hospital (MCH) hard, but the authorities are yet to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

The burglars had raided the operating theatre in the outpatients’ wing of the ENT department at MCH on the nights of January 24 and 27, decamping with equipment worth around Rs 70,000.

The ENT doctors are being forced to borrow vital equipment, like sterilisers, surgical drums and laryngoscope, to carry out emergency surgeries. About 500 patients are treated and over 20 emergency surgeries are conducted in the department daily.

“The operating theatre is still vulnerable to thefts. The burglars broke the lower portion of the operating theatre door, which is still to be repaired,” said a doctor of the department.

“Following the burglaries, we lodged two complaints with the police. We will be in serious trouble if another theft takes place in the department,” said A.N. Biswas, the deputy medical superintendent of the hospital.

A hospital official claimed that “arrangements had been made to repair the door” of the operating theatre, on the ground floor of the emergency building.

“Another theft will definitely paralyse the operating theatre. Given the state of the door, we will be surprised if the thieves do not strike again,” said another doctor.

“We are probing the thefts and have come across some leads,” said deputy commissioner (central) Ajoy Ranade.

According to the investigators, the two thefts were the work of the same gang. “In the first case, the burglars cut through an iron grille and drilled a hole on the wooden door of the operating theatre,” said an officer of Bowbazar police station.

“The second theft is more disturbing. The thieves entered the building through a hole in the wall meant for installing an airconditioner. The gate of the room, which opens on the corridor leading to the operating theatre, was ajar. That the gate was not locked hints at the possibility of insiders being involved,” added the officer.