The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has finalised the deployment of its personnel at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata today (August 22). As per the reports, around 150 CISF personnel, little less than two companies, was deployed at RG Kar Hospital. The entire deployment will be under the command of an officer in the rank of assistant commandant, who will be assisted by three officers in the ranks of inspectors.
Here are details of CISF deployment:
- Two CISF companies led by an assistant commandant have been deployed at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
- A team of 50 women personnel led by a woman inspector will exclusively guard women work areas/wards and hostels.
- CISF is also focusing on strengthening the infrastructure required for security.
- This includes setting up a dedicated control room, search and scanning machines.
- CISF has removed the barricades on the road leading to the hospital.
- The entire hospital has been taken under CISF security cover.
Who will bear the cost of CISF deployment in West Bengal?
However, an insider from the state government said that a minor confusion remained about who would be bearing the cost of the CISF deployment at the hospital. He added, that in all probability the state government will have to ultimately bear the cost since that is the general practice.
Even when CAPFs are deployed in different states during the elections, the cost is borne by the respective state governments. The CISF started the preparations for the deployment on Wednesday (August 21), with its Deputy Inspector General K Pratap holding a series of meetings both with the hospital authorities as well as the top officials of Kolkata Police.
Deployment of CISF personnel after SC order
The CISF deployment has been prompted by a clear instruction from the Supreme Court earlier this week. The apex court ordered the deployment of personnel from any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in the wake of the rape and murder of a woman doctor within the hospital premises earlier this month.
The apex court acknowledged the necessity of deploying central forces at the RG Kar premises after it was brought to the notice of the court that the majority of the resident doctors, both male and female, had vacated the hospital hostel, following the vandalism at the emergency department of the hospital by outsider anti-social elements after the midnight of August 14 (Wednesday).
