Calcutta Medical College Final-Year Student Drowns in Hooghly River

The medical fraternity in West Bengal is in mourning following the tragic death of a final-year MBBS student from Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. On the early morning of Saturday, June 6, 2026, 23-year-old Soham Basak drowned in the Hooghly river during high tide. Basak, who resided in the institution’s main boys’ hostel and hailed from the Hooghly district, had gone to the river ghat around 3:00 AM with a fellow classmate.  

Swept Away by Strong Currents

According to preliminary police reports, the two students spent some time at the ghat before deciding to take a dip in the river. Unfortunately, Basak was rapidly swept away by the strong tidal currents. Despite frantic efforts by his friend to rescue him, the Dangerous water currents proved too dangerous, prompting the friend to rush out and alert the personnel at a nearby police outpost. The Kolkata Police’s Disaster Management Group (DMG) immediately launched a massive search operation, battling darkness and strong currents to recover his body after nearly 90 minutes. He was immediately rushed to his own medical college, where attending doctors declared him dead.  

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A Familiar Face in the Medical Fraternity

The loss of Soham Basak has sent shockwaves through the campus, representing another heartbreaking loss of a young medical professional right before the start of their career. Colleagues remembered him not just as a dedicated student, but also as an active voice for justice; he had notably participated in the widespread protests following the tragic RG Kar Hospital incident in 2024. Authorities have registered a case of unnatural death and are currently awaiting the post-mortem report to confirm the exact cause, though all preliminary findings indicate drowning.