Kolkata doctor’s death: Protests rage across State; CBI steps us action
The West Bengal government has launched the ‘helpers of night’ scheme and recalls transfer order of physicians
Citizens rally in protest against the rape and murder of a female doctor.
| Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI
Eight days after the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital there were no let up in protests on Saturday (August 17, 2024) over the horrifying crime and the vandalism at the hospital with doctors continuing with their strike and political parties in the Opposition as well as citizens hitting the streets in the street.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the crime, visited the fourth battalion barrack of Kolkata Police where the accused Sanjoy Roy was residing on the day of the crime. Roy, a civil police volunteer, was arrested by the Kolkata police within 12 hours after the incident on August 9. The CBI also visited the residence of family of the accused in Kolkata’s Bhawanipore area. A team of experts from Central Forensic Science Laboratory had visited Kolkata and will conduct psychological evaluation of the accused. The CBI also interrogated former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Kumar Ghosh for the second consecutive day.
Follow Kolkata doctor rape-murder case LIVE updates
Dr. Ghosh was questioned till early hours on Saturday and appeared before the agency again after a few hours. Questions about the role of the principal have been raised from several quarters including by adivision bench Calcutta High Court which had sent him on a leave.
The parents of the 31-year-old doctor on Saturday once again expressed their outrage against the hospital authorities and said that they believe that the crime could not have been committed by one person. The parents said that their daughter had the habit of maintaining a diary which was seized by police. “After seeing the body of my daughter, I believe that it could not have been the work of one person. I had told this to the Chief Minister when she had visited our residence,” the mother said.
Mamata Banerjee failed to handle situation, should resign: Nirbhaya’s mother on Kolkata rape-murder
The father said that he believes that the entire department of the hospital was responsible for his daughter’s death. “Nobody from the department has contacted us. When we went to the hospital [on August 9] the principal said that we should come and meet him in his chamber,” the father of the victim said.
Meanwhile, services at the outpatient departments of both government and private hospitals were affected as doctors continued with their protests on the rape and murder and the vandalism at the hospital in the early hours of August 15. While doctors sat in protests at R.G. Kar Hospital sat in protests, healthcare services at the State-run SSKM Hospital, Sambhunath Pandit Hospital, and Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, among others, were crippled because of the agitation. The Indian Medical Association has called for a 24-hour suspension of non emergency services beginning Saturday morning.
Watch | Kolkata doctor rape and murder case: Indian doctors observe a 24 hour strike
The West Bengal government on Saturday announced a new scheme ‘rattirer shaathi’ or ‘helpers of the night’, with an aim to provide safe working conditions for women on the night shift, in government hospitals and medical colleges, hostels and other places engaging women during the night. The State government flagship programme for safety for women who work on the night shift was announced after long deliberations by the senior most officers, a press statement by the State government said.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Saturday also cancelled a government order which transferred 42 senior doctors of State-run hospitals and medical colleges in the State. The transfer has fuelled a lot of speculations as allegations were raised in the medical fraternity as well as by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the doctors were targeted for supporting the ongoing protests by junior doctors. State’s Health Secretary N.S. Nigam said that there was nothing controversial in recalling the order as it was done to keep the hospitals functional at this moment.
OPD closure: Unaware of strike by doctors, many patients return disappointed from hospitals in Bengaluru
Political parties in the Opposition, including the BJP and the Left parties, held demonstrations at different places in Kolkata. Spontaneous protests by citizens and students were also held at different places in Kolkata. The protests at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital has also resulted in suspension of Durand Cup derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, scheduled at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday, after a meeting between organisers and police.
Interestingly, several leaders of the Trinamool Congress including MP Kalyan Banerjee and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim also held protest rallies in Kolkata and adjoining areas demanding justice to the victims. On Friday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also hit the streets demanding justice for the victim.
Read Comments
- Copy link
- Telegram
READ LATER
Remove
SEE ALL
PRINT
Related Topics
West Bengal
/
Kolkata
/
sexual assault & rape