The Calcutta High Court, while hearing multiple petitions related to the alleged rape and murder case of a medical student at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, observed that the police’s role when the victim was found dead and eventually during the investigation was questionable.
The lawyer of the victim’s parents appealed that “if the State police is permitted to continue the investigation, in all probabilities, the investigation will be derailed”, a feeling shared by protesting students.
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Prime facie noting that no significant process has been made by the local police which has “not arrested any other person, who may be allegedly involved in the commission of the offence”, the Calcutta High Court bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya gave CBI the charge of investigation and asked the central agency to file progress reports periodically before the court.
The court also recorded that the then principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Sandip Ghosh did not do his duty as the principal of the institution. The court noted, “This, in our view, was a clear dereliction of duty on the part of the Principal and the officers under his command and this has led to various repercussions and it has been admitted by the authorities that the situation became chaotic and Rapid Action Force had to be brought in.”
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A day after the court asked the CBI to take charge of the investigation of the case, the central agency began its probe on Wednesday. The accused in the case, a civic volunteer who was in custody of the local police, was handed over to the CBI after his medical examination at the IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital. The CBI then took him to the Central Government-run ESIC Hospital for another round of medical.
A team of the CBI and CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) then visited RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at around 3:45 pm. They carried on their investigation at the chest medicine department, where the victim’s dead body was found in the early hours of Friday last week.
Meanwhile, students and doctors are continuing with their protests in front of the main gate of the hospital. They are hopeful of an impartial investigation by the central agency but say they will not end their movement unless all culprits are arrested and convicted.
They are raising slogan, “Aamar didir bichar chai (We want justice for our sister).”
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They gave an ultimatum on Wednesday to the investigating agency to arrest all the culprits within the next 48 hours. They also demanded that local police officials involved in the initial investigation must also be probed. Protesters also want adequate security and protection of doctors in every hospital and medical institutes.
The inner parts of the campus, however, wear an eerie calmness with confusion and fright palpable on the face of students. They fear that the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital authorities might be destroying evidence.
“We heard that authorities are renovating some rooms next to the seminar hall where the victim was found dead. Why do they need to do the renovation work right now,” asked Dr. Aniket Mahato of the anaesthesia department at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The same issue was flagged by the head of the department, Dr. Arunabha Dutta Chowdhury of the chest medicine department. He said he didn’t give any permission for construction works. Dr. Dutta Chowdhury also expressed his solidarity with the students’ movement.
He said, “I support their protest. The person who died was like my daughter. I joined as the HOD only on August 1 and on August 8 she died. I feel so helpless that I couldn’t save her.” However, the students are also demanding his resignation.
A delegation of Indian Medical Association, including its all-India president Dr. RV Asokan also visited the protesting student. Expressing their solidarity towards the students’ cause, the IMA President said, “IMA is your second home. I will take your message across India. We want security of hospitals at par with airports.”
Doctors and medical students are also continuing their protests in other government-run medical colleges and hospitals across West Bengal. The Joint Platform for Doctors, West Bengal, had called for a strike in non-emergency departments in all government and private hospitals.
Meanwhile, multiple rallies, including by the BJP, Congress and by civil society members, were taken out in different parts of Kolkata. A rally by medical representatives also visited RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to show their support for the movement.
On Wednesday night, women from all sections of society are planning to gather under the banner of ‘Reclaim The Night’ in more than 80 locations across West Bengal and in other cities of India as well. The idea behind the gathering will be to assert their right to move freely and securely during night.
