The Calcutta High Court lashed out at the state government on Friday while hearing matters regarding the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 14. The court directed the state government to provide adequate protection to the doctors to discharge their duties.
Hearing the case, a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya said they took up the case since they received several emails regarding the vandalism at the hospital on the night of August 14. The Court questioned the state government on security measures and asked why wasn’t section 144 imposed to cordon off the area.
“Normally the police always have an intelligence wing. Similar things happened on Hanuman Jayanti. If 7,000 people were to gather, it would be hard to believe that the state police did not know. You pass section 144 CrPC orders for any reason, but when so much commotion is going on, you should have cordoned off the entire area. This is an absolute failure of state machinery. Could this vandalism have been prevented is the question. Who did it comes later. What is the reason for breaking all facilities? It can never be understood,” Live Law reported quoting the bench.
The Court also questioned construction work that began at RG Kar hospital after it transferred the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. “We will close down the hospital. We will shift everyone,” the bench said.
The bench also criticised the former principal of RG Kar Hospital after his counsel said the principal is facing threats and miscreants are threatening to set his house on fire. “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 bench said.
According to reporters, around 40 people, posing as protesters entered the hospital on Wednesday midnight and vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store. They also ransacked a stage where junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9.
The bench ordered state police to place on record the entire sequence of events leading to the incident. The Court said the CBI can proceed as it deems appropriate and the investigation team shall also file an interim report regarding the investigation. The bench also asked heads of doctors’ bodies to appear in court.
