West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a protest rally from Moulali to Dorina Crossing in Kolkata, demanding justice for a woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The incident, which occurred on August 9, has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the nation.
Here are the key developments of the day surrounding the Kolkata rape-murder case:
-A postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The authorities arrested a civic volunteer in connection with the crime the following day.
-As protests intensified across West Bengal, a huge gathering of people stormed the government hospital in the early hours of Thursday and vandalised the emergency department, nursing unit, and medicine store, damaged CCTV cameras, and ransacked a stage where junior doctors had been protesting. The police have since arrested 25 people linked to this violence.
-Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal on Friday admitted that despite having adequate security, the police were caught off-guard by the mob violence at the hospital.
-Mamata Banerjee, during her rally, reiterated her demand for capital punishment for those responsible. She praised the Kolkata Police for their investigation, which has since been taken over by the CBI following an order from the Calcutta High Court. Banerjee urged the CBI to resolve the case swiftly and demanded the perpetrators be executed.
-Meanwhile, 30-35 protesting doctors met West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan to address security concerns. They reported ongoing “malpractices” at the facility and expressed their insecurity after the recent vandalism. Bose assured them that he would raise the issue with the Union Home Ministry.
-In response to the brutal incident, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency and OPD services. This led to widespread protests by medical professionals across India, including in major cities like Delhi, where hospitals faced disruptions for the fifth consecutive day. The protests also included a sit-in by doctors outside the Union health ministry in Delhi and marches in several other states.
-The parents of the victim have informed the CBI that they suspect several interns and physicians from the hospital may be involved in their daughter’s death. They have provided the names of individuals they believe could be linked to the crime, according to a CBI officer, reports PTI.
-The CBI has summoned a house staff member and two post-graduate trainees who were on duty with the victim the night of the incident. The agency has also questioned Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former hospital principal who resigned shortly after the body was found. Dr. Ghosh had expressed fears of being attacked, leading his lawyer to seek protection from the Calcutta High Court.
-As part of their investigation, the CBI conducted a crime scene reconstruction and 3D tracking at the seminar hall where the incident occurred.
-The Calcutta High Court criticised the state’s handling of the mob violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, directing the police and hospital authorities to file affidavits on the incident. Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam questioned the lack of police intelligence regarding the assembly of 7,000 people. He indicated that, given ongoing renovations at the hospital following the discovery of the body, the court might consider ordering the closure of the medical establishment.
-Prominent Bollywood stars, including Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon, have expressed solidarity with the protesting doctors and demanded justice for the victim.