Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: CBI Summons 5 Doctors for Interrogation, 19 Held for RG Kar Hospital Vandalism
Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: CBI Summons 5 Doctors for Interrogation, 19 Held for RG Kar Hospital Vandalism
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned five doctors for questioning in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Those summoned include the suspended MSVP Sanjay Vashisth, chest department head Arunava Dutta Choudhary, associate professor of forensic medicine Rina Das, and forensic medicine department members Molly Banerjee and Apurba Biswas.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police have arrested 19 individuals and detained three others following an incident of vandalism at RG Kar Hospital. The vandalism occurred during midnight protests seeking justice for the 31-year-old victim. A group of about 40 unidentified individuals, posing as protesters, forcibly entered the hospital premises late Thursday night, vandalizing various sections of the facility, including the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store. CCTV cameras were damaged, and a stage where junior doctors had been protesting since August 9 was ransacked.
In response to the vandalism, a forensic team from the state police was dispatched to the hospital’s emergency ward to investigate the damage. The police were forced to use teargas to disperse the mob, which also resulted in damage to a police vehicle and several two-wheelers. Some officers were injured in the violence.
The Kolkata Police have released images from the incident, seeking public assistance in identifying the individuals involved in the vandalism. The nursing staff at the hospital has now joined the junior doctors in their protest, demanding enhanced security and condemning the attack.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal visited the hospital and stated that an investigation is underway. He also mentioned that a “malicious media campaign” may have contributed to the escalation of the situation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed political parties for inciting the violence, distancing the students and doctors from responsibility. She claimed that the individuals responsible for the vandalism were outsiders linked to opposition parties.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose described the vandalism as a “shame to civil society” and expressed his support for the agitating doctors, pledging to work toward justice in the case.
