As many as 30 people have been arrested so far in connection to the vandalism at the RG Kar hospital where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murder. The Kolkata Police earlier released over 70 photos on social media, highlighting more than 50 individuals marked in red, who are suspected of being involved in the vandalism.
Meanwhile, the NCW revealed lapses in security, infrastructure, and the investigation surrounding the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata and noted that the crime scene should have been sealed immediately by the police. The NCW’s inquiry revealed that no security guards were present during the incident, leaving on-call interns, doctors, and nurses without sufficient protection during night shifts.
Furthermore, the Committee reported potential evidence tampering, noting that the site where the crime allegedly took place was undergoing sudden renovations. The crime scene, they emphasised, should have been sealed immediately by the police. The hospital was also found to lack basic amenities for female medical staff, including poorly maintained washrooms, inadequate lighting, and a complete absence of security measures.
Reacting to media reports the NCW initiated an inquiry into the case. On 10 August 2024, the Commission addressed a letter to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, demanding immediate action and a thorough investigation into the incident. To ensure a comprehensive investigation, the NCW constituted a two-member Inquiry Committee, comprising NCW member Delina Khondgup and advocate Soma Chaudhary from the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority.
The inquiry also highlighted serious concerns regarding the investigation. The questioning of the former Principal, who resigned after the incident, remains incomplete, the NCW said in its preliminary report. The Committee urged that this aspect be thoroughly investigated without delay.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday (August 16) took out a protest march against the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. She demanded justice for the victim and capital punishment for the accused. TMC activists, who accompanied Banerjee, shouted slogans for capital punishment for the accused, a demand that the chief minister has already made. "We want truth to come out, but some quarters peddling lies to mislead people. I stay awake all night, because my chest was burning, When Buddhababu was dead, I went to his home, I do politics but I am humanitarian first. Nexus of Left, BJP should be exposed," she said.
