Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder: 25 Held For Vandalism At RG Kar Hospital | Top Points

The Kolkata Police arrested 25 people for the vandalism incident at the RG Kar Hospital during midnight protests by those seeking justice for the 31-year-old woman. The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is now probing the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

Unidentified miscreants forcibly entered the premises of the hospital shortly after midnight on Thursday (August 15) and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where a trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered last week. According to police, a group of at least 40 people posing as protesters entered the hospital premises, hurled stones at cops and vandalised property. They targeted the emergency department, nursing station and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9, police said.

CBI Summons Five Doctors For Questioning

The CBI special crime branch in Kolkata summoned five doctors for interrogation in connection with the case. Those summoned include suspended MSVP Sanjay Vashisth, head of the chest department Arunava Dutta Choudhary, associate professor of forensic medicine Rina Das, along with Molly Banerjee and Apurba Biswas from the forensic medicine department.

Forensic team reaches RG Kar’s emergency ward after vandalism incident

A team of forensic experts from the state police reached the hospital’s emergency ward after the incident of vandalism, which took place during the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest march seeking justice for the 31-year-old doctor. Police had to use teargas shells to disperse the mob. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers at the spot were also damaged in the incident while some officers were also injured in the violence.

Earlier in the morning, the Kolkata Police released several photos from the incident, identifying people who entered the medical facility and ransacked the emergency ward. In the photos posted on social media, the police encircled the faces of some people in the mob and sought information on them. “Information wanted: Anyone who can help identify the individuals circled in red in the images below is requested to do so, either directly to us or through your local PS,” a Facebook post read.

Nursing staff joins protest by junior doctors

The attack on the nursing station has also prompted nurses to join the junior doctors in their protest at the hospital. They staged protests against the violence, demanding enhanced security measures. “Such hooliganism inside a hospital is unacceptable,” one protesting nurse said.

Doctors said the attack was intended to demoralise their protests but only strengthened their resolve to seek justice for their colleague. In response to the attack, police have increased their presence around the hospital.

Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal, who visited the premises last night, said an investigation is underway. He mentioned that a “malicious media campaign” might have exacerbated the situation. “My men have also been injured in the attack… What have police not done to crack this case? But there has been a malicious media campaign that has been going on,” he said.

Political Parties Trying to Foment Trouble: CM Mamata

After the vandalism at the hospital, a political war of words broke out with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accusing opposition parties of being behind the incident. She said she does not hold the students or doctors responsible for their protests and, instead, she accused certain political parties of attempting to incite trouble.

READ MORE | A Rape in a Hospital, Anger on Streets & Politics: RG Kar Horror No Sandeshkhali, Could Shake Mamata’s Women Voter Base

“Police are looking into the matter. I don’t have any complaints against the students or the agitating doctors. But, there are certain political parties trying to foment trouble. If you go through the video, you will get to see what happened,” she said.

She added: “The people who vandalised RG Kar hospital yesterday and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement… they are outsiders, I have seen as many videos; I have three videos, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI holding white and red flags. Yesterday, the police were also attacked… I would like to congratulate them that they did not lose patience, did not hurt anyone… Now the case is not in our hands, it is in the hands of CBI, if you have something to say, then tell CBI, we have no objection…”

West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday described the vandalism at RG Kar as a “shame to civil society”. He visited the hospital in the afternoon to assess the situation and spoke with agitating doctors. “Yesterday’s vandalism is a shame to civil society. It’s a shame to the entire humanity that young girls are not protected. This bloodbath cannot be allowed anymore. This must stop,” he told reporters, adding, “I am with you and we will work together to solve this. I assure you justice. My ears and eyes are open.”

READ MORE | Congress-TMC Tussle over Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case Exhibits Their Tentative Ties

Call in the army if govt can’t control situation: BJP

The BJP, meanwhile, criticised police for failing to protect the protesting doctors and prevent the vandalism, demanding that the army be deployed if the TMC government cannot control the situation. The party demanded the resignation of the chief minister, accusing her government of failing to maintain law and order and announced that the party’s women’s wing will hold a candlelight rally to her Kalighat residence on Friday (August 16) to protest the vandalism.

“If the state government can’t control the situation, then they should call in the army. The chief minister should immediately resign,” said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar.

Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh countered, questioning if CMs in BJP-ruled states have resigned for similar incidents. “Did the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states resign when similar incidents took place? The answer is no. Whoever is involved in vandalism must be arrested regardless of party affiliations. The opposition is doing dirty politics over the incident,” he said.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee condemned the vandalism as exceeding “all acceptable limits”, urging the police commissioner to arrest everyone responsible “within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations”.

Meanwhile, TMC leader and medical practitioner Santanu Sen, who was removed from his position as party spokesperson for airing his views, demanded that the culprits involved in the vandalism be arrested by Thursday night. “I fail to understand why the former principal of RG Kar Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, is being shielded. He must be held accountable as he has failed in his duties,” he said.

The SUCI (Communist) has called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Friday to protest the vandalism at the hospital. Banerjee is also scheduled to hit the streets on Friday evening to demand justice for the deceased doctor.

Protests continue, healthcare services crippled

Healthcare services in the state remain crippled for seven days in a row due to the cease-work by junior doctors demanding justice for their colleague, with emergency and outpatient departments in most state-run hospitals still closed, causing significant distress among patients.

Protests continued to rock parts of the state, aligning with Independence Day celebrations, as thousands of women from all walks of life hit the streets at the stroke of midnight on the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday, protesting the horrific rape-murder of the doctor. Spurred by the ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign, which gained traction on social media, the protests began at 11.55 pm, and continued into the morning, spreading across key areas in both small towns and major cities, including several landmarks in Kolkata.

(With PTI inputs)