RG Kar Doctor Death: The discovery of the body of a junior doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has sparked great furore in Bengal. A day after the woman's death led to protests and criticism from opposition, the police managed to arrest a suspect, who had free access to all the departments. He was presented in the Court today.
The preliminary autopsy report indicated that the doctor was sexually abused before she was murdered. Her father also alleged the same, adding that the hospital authorities were trying to supress the truth.
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association on Saturday issued a press release, demanding that the authorities at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital act with precision and in a time of 48 hours, failing which the body will be forced to initiate a nationwide action against the Kolkata hospital.
"A fair, transparent and time-sensitive criminal investigation is in order. An ultimatum of two days is given to arrest culprits otherwise IMA will take nationwide protests," the statement noted.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said that a Special Investigation Team was constituted to carry out the investigation.
Here's what has happened so far:
- Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested a man in connection with the death of the woman postgraduate trainee doctor, who was found dead on Thursday night, while on duty. He was presented in Court today.
- He was nabbed after a torn part of a Bluetooth earphone was recovered at the spot, which led the police to him. Besides this, his activities seemed suspicious and it appeared that he was directly involved in the crime, police told news agency PTI.
- The police team is now trying to find out who else was with him or whether he had someone else with him. Police might also conduct necessary medical examinations on the accused.
- Meanwhile, the IMA has demanded that the hospital authorities take prompt action into the matter and arrest the accused person/s within 48 hours, failing which they would initiate action against the authorities and hold nationwide protests.
- Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said that the post-mortem of the victim was done, adding that the entire process was videographed.
- He also said that an SIT has been constituted for further probe.
- Meanwhile, the accused's mother said that she does not believe that her son would have done anything like that. "My mind will never say that he has done anything...I do not believe anything like that," she said.
- The junior doctors and nursing staff of RG Kar staged a 'cease-work' protest, demanding the arrest of the accused. They also held a candle march on Friday evening as all of them came together to demand justice for the victim. All other department except for the Emergency ward were closed down at the state-run facility after the incident, PTI reported.
- In an exclusive interview with ABP Ananda, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is at the centre of opposition's mounting attacks over the issue, stated that the case should be heard in a fast-track court and the guilty should be hanged.
- On opposition demanding a CBI probe into the matter, Banerjee said that she had no objection to such demands as "Our government has nothing to hide".
- The Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal has been condemning the incident, alleging that the TMC-led government was trying to brush the matter under the carpet. In a statement on X, the BJP Bengal unit said that the police who had been claiming that the incident was a case of suicide have now suddenly made an arrest and added sections on rape and murder a day later.
- BJP also questioned TMC as to why there was no CCTV installed in the area and why the post-mortem was conducted so late. It also targeted the Bengal government over not allowing the victim's family to take her body and accused the dispensation of trying to hide the incident from the media and public.
- The saffron party also lashed out at Shilpa Basu, daughter of TMC MLA Sudipta Roy, for not supporting the protesting students' demands of action against the Principal, who was oblivious of the rape and murder, and said, "A woman should not enter the Seminar Hall alone at night".
- Reacting to the claims being made by the opposition, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said: "The BJP and CPI-M are making politics...The CPI-M should explain the incidents of Bantala...The BJP should remember Unnao, Hathras, etc...The CM is acting like a good guardian..."
Assuring that the investigation is underway, he added: "The CM (Mamata Banerjee) has made it very clear that the police are doing their best. One man has been arrested, and the investigation is underway." He also reiterated tha Bengal CM has clarified that if the victim's family wants any other agency to conduct the probe, there will be no objection from the state government. - Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar and West Bengal BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul visited residence of the victim. "Police says that the victim was strangulated there are injuries in the internal parts and along with that a collar bone was also broken...There are chances that more than one person is involved in this...The victim's family is non-political..." Sukanta Majumdar told ANI.
- TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said on Saturday that the issue must not be politicised and rather a bill must be brought to fastrack justice. "I saw many political parties came out on the streets. We should instead bring an ordinance or a bill so that there can be quick justice in 7 days. The protesting BJP leaders should bring a bill to punish rapists in 7 days and as the opposition, the job of TMC and Congress is to support the bill. Why will the trial take 5-6 years? It should be the responsibility of political parties, media judiciary to collectively provide justice to the family..." he said.
- Banerjee also called the incident "extremely heinous" and assured that the Bengal government is taking the matter "seriously".
- CPI (M) West Bengal State Secretary Md Salim took a jibe at the Bengal government over the incident saying that "the city which we used to call 'City of Joy' has now become 'City of Bhay' (City of Fear)".
- He demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter and added that RG Kar's Principal is close to CM Mamata Banerjee. "The Police Commissioner of Kolkata was suppressing the case...We demand a judicial inquiry into this matter," he claimed.
- Meanwhile, the BJP has also questioned the probe committee constituted as leader Shehzad Poonawalla questioned the involvement of interns and members who are close to the TMC. "...The body of a PGT trainee doctor was found in semi-nude condition in a government-run RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata...Imagine, if women are not safe in a government-run college under the watch of Mamata Banerjee, what their plight might be in Sandeshkhali," he said.
"Instead of ensuring that justice is served to the victim's family Mamata Banerjee's government has constituted an inquiry committee which has interns and members who are close to the TMC party. The entire doctors and medical fraternity is upset with this..." Poonawalla added.
The victim was on night duty on Thursday and had dinner with her juniors at 2 am after her shift ended. She then went to the seminar hall in the emergency department to rest. Her body was found at that very spot on a blood-stained mattress with injury marks all over her body. The post-mortem report also mentioned that she had bled from her eyes and mouth. Her private parts also had stains of blood and she had nail marks on her face.