Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took out a protest march in Kolkata on Friday to demand death penalty for the main accused in Kolkata junior doctor’s rape and murder. “Within Sunday (August 18), CBI has to facilitate the hanging of the guilty and complete the entire probe. Our Kolkata Police has completed 90 per cent of the probe,” she said, as quoted by NDTV.
#WATCH | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee takes out a rally against the incident of rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata
She is demanding justice for the victim and capital punishment for the accused. pic.twitter.com/z8rBxRuqGn
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2024
With the protesters accusing the police of mishandling the case a rally by the Chief Minister came as a surprise as she holds the home and health portfolios in the state administration. “I know that CPM and BJP vandalised RG Kar Medical College and Hospital…They went there at 12-1 am in the night, the video shows that CPM took the DYFI flag and BJP took the national flag. They have misused the national flag, they should be punished. How many teams did BJP and CPM send when the incident happened in Manipur? How many teams were sent to Hathras, Unnao?… CPM and BJP should not threaten me, we have not come without contesting elections…” Banerjee said at the protest march.
BJP also hits the streets
On the same day, the BJP also staged protests on the same issue in several pockets of Bengal and demanded Mamata Banerjee’s resignation. Several BJP leaders, including Sukanta Mazumder, were also detained by Kolkata Police during the protest.
#WATCH | Kolkata | BJP leaders, who were protesting near Shambazar Metro, Gate no 1 over woman doctor rape and murder, detained by Police pic.twitter.com/A76IyxIrO6
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2024
“We will continue our protest. Please remember that today it is not only a political party as an opposition. Not only us but the common people have woken up. You saw how lakhs of women joined the protest…In a few videos, you can see 15-20 faces, these must have been local goons who entered the medical college with a blueprint to cause damage. What has the Police done?,” said BJP leader, Roopa Ganguly, in an interview to ANI.
25 held for vandalism at RG Kar
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police claimed to have made 25 arrests in relation to the vandalism at RG Kar Hospital on Wednesday night. “Four more suspects were identified by netizens from our social media posts. The search for the remaining suspects is ongoing,” Kolkata Police mentioned in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter
Sandip Ghosh, former Principal, being quizzed by CBI
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday took in for questioning Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in connection to the probe into the rape and murder of a 31-year old postgraduate trainee doctor on the hospital premises.
The former principal was summoned several times for questioning by the central probe agency, but he had been evading them, according to reports. The probe agency also served a notice to him last night, which he avoided again. The doctor moved the High Court seeking protection through his lawyer. He claimed before the court that his life was under threat.
Sources said Ghosh was taken to the CGO complex in Salt Lake for interrogation.
The former superintendent of the hospital Sanjiv Vashishth and the head of chest department Arunabha Dutta Chowdhury were also summoned on Friday.
What did court say?
When Ghosh’s counsel on Friday informed the court that there was a threat of his house being set on fire, the court stated—as quoted by The Telegraph—“Let him rest at home. State is with you, they will give you 4-500 police people. Or you make an application, we will give you central forces.”
The High Court had ordered a court-monitored investigation into the case on Tuesday and had criticised Ghosh and the state administration.
Allegations against Sandip Ghosh
Several students and even former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shantanu Sen had alleged that Ghosh ran the college through his coterie, reports claimed. It had been alleged that bribes were accepted for leaking questions, and disposal of hospital waste at RG Kar during his term.
