RG Kar Violence: Calcutta HC Raps Bengal Govt Over Vandalism, Calls Incident 'Failure Of State Machinery'

Calcutta High Court reprimanded the West Bengal government for failing to prevent violence at Kolkata Hospital where a junior doctor was attacked and killed.

The Calcutta High Court on Friday rapped the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over the vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital--where a junior doctor was brutally raped and murdered last week-- calling it an "absolute failure of state machinery". A mob attacked the Kolkata hospital premises on the eve of Independence Day during the nationwide 'Reclaim the Night' protest.

Calling the administration's handling of the situation a "sorry state of affairs," a High Court bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam noted that when Kolkata police were not able to protect themselves, "how can these doctors work fearlessly?"

Responding to the court, the state said, "...there was a mob of around 7,000. The number suddenly swelled... I have videos. They broke barricades... tear gas was fired and 15 police personnel were injured. The Deputy Commissioner was injured. Police vehicles were damaged. Emergency room ransacked (but) place of occurrence (the crime scene) was protected."

The state further informed that police used tear gas to control the crowd. "...15 police personnel were injured, the DCP was seriously injured, and police vehicles were damaged. The emergency room was also ransacked. However, the place of occurrence is protected," it said.

To this, the High Court noted if 7,000 people were to gather, it was hard to believe the state police did not have any prior information about it. "Why did you grant permission," the court asked.

The state, however, denied giving any permission for the gathering. 

According to the Kolkata Police, around 40 people, disguised as protesters, entered the hospital premises on August 14 night, damaged property and pelted stones at police personnel, forcing cops to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

The police lawyer said that the rioters, who came armed with sticks, bricks and rods, vandalised the hospital's emergency ward, nursing station and medicine store, besides a part of the outpatient department (OPD). Several CCTV cameras in and around the area were also destroyed. The rioters overturned a police vehicle and damaged several two-wheelers.

This week, on the orders of the Calcutta High Court, the investigation into the death of the trainee doctor was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).