Kolkata Doctor Rape and Murder Case Live Updates: The West Bengal government on Wednesday sacked Suharita Paul, Principal of RG Kar Hospital, following the student protest in the wake of the rape and murder of a fellow trainee doctor in Kolkata. The Centre Wednesday has written to the West Bengal government seeking deployment of paramilitary forces at the R G Kar Hospital in Kolkata, official sources were quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Where is the probe at? The CBI continued to question of R G Kar’s former principal Dr Sandip Ghosh regarding the rape and murder of a young doctor on night shift on hospital premises for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday. According to news agency PTI, Ghosh may also be subjected to a polygraph test.
Doctors’ strike continues: Healthcare services remain affected at state-run hospitals in West Bengal, as junior doctors continued their strike for the 13th consecutive day. Senior doctors were asked to report to duty in place of junior medics at several hospitals, even as the state government urged the protestors to resume work, officials told the news agency PTI.
The West Bengal government on Wednesday sacked Suharita Paul, Principal of RG Kar Hospital, following the student protest in the wake of the rape and murder of a fellow trainee doctor in Kolkata. Subsequently, the Vice Principal of the Medical College, MSVP Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, and the head of the chest medicine department, Arunabh Dutta Chowdhury, were also removed from their posts.
The IMA has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, highlighting the urgent need for bringing a central law to deal with attacks on medics and healthcare establishments, and pointing out that a special exigency exists in relation to violence on doctors and hospitals.
The association demanded that a draft bill of 2019 that incorporated the amendment clauses of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Code Grey Protocol of the Kerala government -- "Prevention Management of Violence against Healthcare Workers" -- be proclaimed as an ordinance to instill confidence in the minds of doctors.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) held consultations with its state presidents and secretaries as well as with resident doctors' associations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Around 150 personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are being deployed at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital following an order of the Supreme Court, official sources told the news agency PTI on Wednesday.
A day after the apex court's order, the Union home ministry wrote to the West Bengal chief secretary seeking deployment of the CISF at the state-run hospital. Subsequently, a decision has been taken for the deployment of the CISF, the sources said.
Earlier in the morning, a CISF team, led by a DIG-rank officer, surveyed the hospital complex where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered earlier this month. The force is expected to secure the resident doctors' hostel and other facilities, the sources said.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday paid a visit to the residence of the woman doctor who was raped-murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here.
Bose, who returned from Cuttack, went to the doctor's residence and spoke to her parents. Bose had spoken to the doctor's parents over the phone twice on Tuesday and assured them of justice.
The IT Ministry on Wednesday asked social media platforms to immediately comply with the Supreme Court order on the removal of the name, photos and videos of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Seeking prompt removal of identifiable references of the deceased from all social media platforms, the IT Ministry warned that failure to comply with the apex court's order may result in legal consequences and further regulatory action.
Social media platforms have been asked to inform the IT Ministry about actions taken by them in compliance with the Supreme Court order.
"The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked the social media platforms operating in India to comply with a recent Supreme Court order dated August 20, 2024, in the matter titled Kinnori Ghosh @ Anr. versus Union of India & Ors- Re: Circulation of name and photographs of deceased in RG Kar Medical college incident," an official release said.
On the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder case, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, "The horrific incident that happened with the doctor of Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, everyone is deeply saddened after this, the level of grief cannot be expressed in words. I would request the doctors that they should return to work..."
In the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder case, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the Supreme Court has directed the doctors protesting to return to their work. "The investigation is in the hands of the CBI and the Supreme Court is looking after the case, so why the doctors are not returning to their work...therefore SC has requested them to return to work as a large number of people are suffering..." he told the news portal ANI.
In the wake of cases of sexual assault in West Bengal and Maharashtra, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi asked, "Where are we heading as a society?"
In a post on X, he said, "After West Bengal, UP, Bihar, the shameful crimes against daughters in Maharashtra also force us to think where are we heading as a society? After the crime against two innocent people in Badlapur, the first step to give them justice was not taken until the public came out on the streets demanding justice. Will we now have to protest to even register an FIR? Why has it become so difficult for victims to even go to the police station?"
"More efforts are made to hide crime than to provide justice, the biggest victims of which are women and people of weaker sections. Not filing an FIR not only discourages the victims but also encourages the criminals. All governments, citizens and political parties will have to seriously brainstorm on what steps should be taken to provide a safe environment to women in the society. Justice is the right of every citizen; he cannot be made dependent on the will of the police and administration," he said.
The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA) on Wednesday condemned recent "horrendous, violent and brutal" crimes against women and young girls, and sought immediate and comprehensive reforms to protect them. In a statement, the association, led by its president and senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, sought a complete and effective ban on online pornography and obscenity on OTT platforms, along with the installation of CCTV cameras across workplaces and institutions. "The SCWLA is deeply shocked, traumatised, agonised and pained by the recent spurt of crimes against women, girls and infants, who come from various walks of life, caste, class and age, which were reported in Kolkata, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other parts of India at the hands of brutal, insensitive, perverted perpetrators," the statement said.
The Centre Wednesday has written to the West Bengal government seeking deployment of paramilitary forces at the R G Kar Hospital in Kolkata, official sources were quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
PGIMER doctors in Chandigarh continued their protest over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor on Wednesday, the news agency ANI reported. They have also initiated an 'Open OPD' on the site.
On Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, CPI (M) General Secretary D Raja told ANI, "There is agitation going on in the state of West Bengal, in the city of Kolkata. Even our party is in the field. All the class and mass organizations led by our party are agitating. The state government has completely failed... And that is why yesterday also our party demanded the union government should enact a law to provide security to all medical personnel. Why union government is not taking any steps to bring laws to provide security to medical personnel? This is not a new demand. This demand has been there for a long time. Why union government is not agreeing?... whatever happened Mamata Banerjee should accept all responsibilities, and failures..."
Former sportspersons took to the streets to seek justice for the trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Former East Bengal goalkeeper Sumit Mukherjee said, "All the players are here to protest against the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital incident and we demand justice... ."
Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, held protests over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
The BJP West Bengal unit on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that the law and order situation in the state has reached its nadir under her rule. The state BJP unit is holding a five-day demonstration to protest the alleged rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"The Chief Minister should resign as soon as possible," state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters at the demonstration venue at Shyambazar, about half a kilometre away from R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday allowed the state BJP to stage the demonstration for five days to protest the alleged rape and murder of the woman postgraduate trainee doctor. The state had prayed that the demonstration be allowed for only one day, claiming that a five-day sit-in would affect the convenience of the general public. PTI
As many as 151 sitting MPs and MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women in their election affidavits, with West Bengal having the highest number of lawmakers facing such cases, according to a recent report by a poll rights body.
For the report, the Association for Democratic Reforms examined 4,693 out of 4,809 affidavits of sitting MPs and MLAs submitted to the Election Commission of India during elections between 2019 and 2024. The organisation identified 16 MPs and 135 MLAs facing cases related to crimes against women.
West Bengal tops the list with 25 sitting MPs and MLAs facing charges related to crimes against women, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 21 and Odisha with 17, according to the report that comes amid the nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a state-run hospital in Kolkata and sexual assault of two children in Thane.
According to the report, there are 16 sitting MPs and MLAs who have declared cases related to rape under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and can be extend to life imprisonment. Of these, two are MPs and 14 MLAs.
Amid widespread outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari sought the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, saying she had "lost her credibility."
As the doctors' protest continued, the OPD of Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital remained shut for patients. Here's what patients have to say
The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) on Wednesday issued an appeal to all advocates to observe a “peaceful protest” on Thursday by wearing black ribbons on their arms as a mark of protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor in Kolkata.
Condemning the crime at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, the BCD also sought capital punishment for the accused.
The BCD’s circular appealed to the Centre to issue “appropriate directions to the investigating agency to conclude the investigation expeditiously and ensure capital punishment to the perpetrators of this brutal and heinous crime.”
A former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking an ED investigation against its ex-principal Sandip Ghosh, alleging financial irregularities by him during his tenure at the state-run facility, the news agency PTI reported.
Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj granted permission to Akhtar Ali to file the petition, seeking an order directing the Enforcement Directorate to probe alleged financial irregularities against Ghosh. Ali had earlier claimed that he had complained against Ghosh in 2023 to the West Bengal government authorities.
The state government had on Monday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into alleged financial irregularities at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which has grabbed national headlines after the body of a woman doctor was found in a seminar hall on August 9. The CBI is investigating the alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee, upon directions of the high court.
The AIIMS Delhi administration on Wednesday appealed to striking resident doctors to resume duties in the interest of patient care, saying a collaborative internal security audit will be conducted to assess safety and security measures within the campus.
Two committees have also been constituted by the administration to look into safety issues at the institute and other concerns of the doctors.
Resident doctors of AIIMS have been on strike demanding a central legislation for the protection of healthcare workers following the alleged rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata. Besides the security audit, the AIIMS administration has also decided to install Al-enabled CCTV cameras at key entry and exit points of the Mother and Child Block on a pilot basis. PTI
Resident doctors staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday, marking the 10th day of their indefinite strike over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a Kolkata hospital, news agency PTI reported.
"It's very important to understand that we are fighting for better working conditions in our own workplace," one of the protesting doctors said.
The women's wing of the Aam Aadmi Party held a protest outside Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, on Wednesday demanding justice for the trainee woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, news agency PTI reported.
(PTI Photo)
The BJP West Bengal unit on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that the law and order situation in the state has reached its nadir under her rule, news agency PTI reported.
The state BJP unit is holding a 5-day demonstration to protest the alleged rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"The Chief Minister should resign as soon as possible," state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters at the demonstration venue. (PTI)
The Calcutta High Court Wednesday adjourned till September 4 the joint hearing of several PILs over the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and vandalism by miscreants since the Supreme Court is already seized of the matter, according to news agency PTI.
The bench, comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, reiterated its request to refrain from disclosing the identity of the victim after a lawyer pointed out to the court that despite its directions in this regard in its earlier order on August 13, the name and photograph of the woman doctor were being circulated in the social media. (PTI)
Protests continued in Kolkata for the 13th consecutive day against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor inside the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9.
Resident doctors will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday, the 10th day of their indefinite strike over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, news agency PTI reported.
AIIMS, GTB, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, Maulana Azad Medical College and its associated hospitals have released individual statements urging participation in the silent protest.
On Tuesday, after conducting a meeting with the RDA members, the bodies representing the resident doctors released a statement saying they will continue with the strike until the Health Ministry takes concrete action on the issue of CPA. (PTI)
A day after the Supreme Court ordered the deployment of CISF at Kar Medical College and Hospital, a team of the central paramilitary force on Wednesday visited the state-run medical establishment and inspected the security arrangements, news agency PTI reported.
The team led by a senior officer reached the hospital in the morning, and talked to the local police and hospital authorities about the security arrangements, according to an official. (PTI)
Former principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, on Wednesday arrived at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office for further questioning in the matter, news agency PTI reported.
The CBI may conduct a polygraph test on Ghosh, stating that, "We want to further verify Ghosh’s answers, as there have been discrepancies in some of the replies to our questions. Therefore, we are mulling over the option to conduct a polygraph test on him,” an official told PTI.
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