Kolkata Doctor Murder: Cops Question Four Doctors; RG Kar Principal Resigns, Joins Another Medical College | Updates

Amid outrage over the the sexual assault and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor from Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced that the state will handover the case to the CBI if Kolkata Police fails to solve the case by this week.

She met the victim’s kin and later said that the state government want RG Kar hospital doctor murder case to be tried in fast track court.

Doctors and medical students staged a massive protest across the country on Monday against the sexual assault and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has given a call for a nationwide medical strike against the incident.

Hospital services across West Bengal were disrupted on Monday as junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day, demanding justice for the victim.

Meanwhile, the principal of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh,

has resigned from his post. “I am getting defamed on social media…The deceased doctor was like my daughter. As a parent, I resign…I don’t like that this should happen to anyone in future,” he said.

Demands By FORDA

After meeting Secretary MoHFW, Apurva Chandra, FORDA General Secretary Dr Sarvesh Pandey, said, “We met the Health Secretary. We released a press release yesterday mentioning our demands that the Principal of RG Kar Medical College should be removed immediately, CBI inquiry, fast-track court and that a committee of the Central Protection Act. We will continue our strike until we get a written assurance that our demands will be fulfilled. During the strike, elective surgeries will be hampered and only Emergency Services will function. Around 3 lakh doctors across the country have joined the protest…”

The Incident

The semi-nude body of the woman PGT doctor, a second-year student in the chest medicine department, was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital on Friday. She was on duty on Thursday night, and her body bore multiple injury marks. The preliminary autopsy report indicated sexual abuse before her murder, leading her father to allege that she was raped and murdered inside the hospital.

Kolkata Police identified and arrested a suspect identified as Sanjay Roy in the case. Roy is an outsider who had easy access to several departments of the hospital due to his role as a civic volunteer in the police welfare board. Sources said that Roy was arrested after his activities were found to be quite suspicious.

Latest Updates

• The Indian Medical Association wrote to Union Health Minister about their demand over safety of doctors and also the steps needed to be taken by West Bengal government. The association has also given two days ultimatum to the Health Minister to fulfill the demands.
• Medical students in Punjab’s Mohali took out a candle march to protest against the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
• NCW member Delina Khongdup arrived in Kolkata on Monday. Speaking to News18, she said. “First we will meet the commissioner of police, after that, we will meet the victim’s parents. We are here till tomorrow. We will also visit the hospital where this incident occurred.”
• As a part of the investigation in the case, four doctors have been called by the Lalbazaar police for questioning.
• Speaking on the alleged rape-murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical Hospital, former NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said, “Mamata ji doesn’t take women seriously. In the name of politics, she has used her own goons against the women of another party and this has been going on for years. In the same way, the (West Bengal) police just keep anybody and everybody as a (civic) volunteer without checking their background. It is a very serious matter. I hope this kind of case should not happen in West Bengal… Though they are saying they have arrested this man and I’ve heard this case will go to fast track court. Not only doctors, women are standing by the family of the victim. I’ve spoken to the secretary of NCW and I’ve been informed that a team has been sent to West Bengal.”
• The team of National Commission for Women has now gone to meet the Police Commissioner.
• CM Mamata Banerjee met the victim’s parents. She said that the state government will handover the case to the CBI if the Kolkata Police fails to solve the case by Sunday. “We will wait till Sunday to handover the case to the CBI,” she said.
• The CM said the state government want RG Kar hospital doctor murder case to be tried in fast track court.
• BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla questioned West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s “silence” over the incident and said, “Today, it is clear under TMC govt of Mamata Banerjee, ‘Maa, Maati and Manush’ are not safe in West Bengal, only ‘balatkaris & bhrashtakaris’ are safe…Who is accountable? Are women safe in West Bengal?…If there is nothing to hide then why is Mamata Banerjee not allowing a CBI probe?… What is most disturbing is that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Priyanka Chaturvedi and ecosystem – all of them are selectively silent..what will they say?”
• Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari moved the Calcutta High Court demanding a CBI inquiry into the case.
• BJP leader and advocate of Calcutta High Court Kaustav Bagchi filed a petition in the High Court, demanding a CBI probe into the rape-murder of a PG trainee woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
• AIIMS Delhi said in a statement that amid the strike, emergency services, inward services, ICUs, and OPDs will function as usual.
• Members of the Resident Doctor Association met the Health Ministry secretary and submitted a memorandum. They have demanded a CBI inquiry, fast track court, removal of principal RG Kar Medical College and implementation of the Central Protection Act.
• Doctors of several top hospitals in Delhi are protesting today against the rape and murder of Kolkata trainee doctor.
• The principal of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh,has resigned from his post.
• Three junior doctors and a house staff of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, who were on duty on the night of the incident, have been summoned in the case.
• Women from all sections of society have given a call that they will occupy the streets of Bengal to protest against the incident on August 14.
• All government medical colleges in West Bengal have declared ‘cease-work’.
• AIIMS in Delhi and NIMHANS have also declared ‘cease-work’.
• Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has announced the suspension of elective/non-emergency medical services by resident doctors from 8:00 am on August 13 until the acceptance of demands of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College residents, immediate appointment of a central agency to investigate the case, establishment of a Central Protection Act, an immediate audit and recruitment of the security measures at all medial institutions and that of a detailed report on the total number of CCTV cameras installed in respective hospitals are met.
• Junior doctors are set to take out a big rally in Kolkata.