The incident took place late on Wednesday at the hospital in Kolkata's Sealdah area.
The nurse had reported for duty at around 8 pm and was working in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the gynaecology department.
Her colleagues later noticed that she was missing from the nursing station.
They went looking for her and found her unconscious inside a hospital washroom.
After receiving no response, they reportedly broke open the door at around 10.30 pm.
Doctors were immediately alerted, and the nurse was taken for medical examination. She was subsequently declared dead.
Kolkata Police have ordered a probe into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Police await post-mortem report
Police officials said there were no visible injury marks on the body and no suicide note was recovered from the scene.
“She was immediately shifted for medical treatment, where the attending doctor examined her and declared her dead. Upon thorough checking of the scene, no visible marks of injury and no suicidal note were found,” police officials said.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Investigators are awaiting the autopsy report to establish the exact cause of death.
Police have not yet determined whether the nurse died by suicide, suffered an accidental death or whether any foul play was involved.
Three fentanyl vials being examined
The circumstances surrounding fentanyl allegedly being taken into the washroom have emerged as a key part of the investigation.
According to hospital sources, the nurse allegedly took three vials of fentanyl with her before entering the washroom.
Doctors at the hospital reportedly suspect that fentanyl may have been administered through a vein near her elbow.
However, the exact circumstances and cause of death will have to be established through the post-mortem examination and the police investigation.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid used in hospitals for pain management and in anaesthesia.
Investigators are examining how the nurse obtained the vials and what happened after she entered the washroom.
Police are also expected to examine hospital records and CCTV footage as part of the investigation.
The investigation is now focused on reconstructing her movements before her death, establishing how the fentanyl vials came into her possession and determining whether anyone else was involved.
Death comes two years after RG Kar case
The death comes days after West Bengal marked the second anniversary of the rape and murder of a young woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
On August 9, 2024, the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found inside a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The case triggered widespread protests across West Bengal and other parts of India, with demonstrations also taking place overseas.
The incident led to intense scrutiny of security arrangements for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, particularly women, working night shifts inside government hospitals.
The latest death at NRS Hospital has again brought attention to safety and monitoring arrangements inside Kolkata's state-run medical institutions.