The Supreme Court’s order on Tuesday for the deployment of the the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has caused a huge embarrassment for Kolkata Police and the West Bengal government.
Mentioning the delay in FIR registration and its mishandling of a mob attack at the hospital on the night of August 14 in the aftermath of the alleged rape and murder of the trainee doctor, a three-judge bench of the apex court, led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, questioned the actions of Kolkata Police, once called the Scotland Yard of East.
The court order also took note of the allegations that the parents of the deceased trainee doctor were initially informed that their daughter had committed suicide and were only permitted to see her body after several hours.
The court was also informed that around 700 resident doctors were present at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. However, after the “wanton destruction and vandalism” on August 14 night, only approximately 30-40 female doctors and 60-70 male doctors remain in the hostels.
“Police should have been more proactive and sensitive in handling the entire situation that erupted after the trainee doctor was found dead,” former Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty told THE WEEK.
He continued, “The mob attack was the result of either intelligence failure or the failure of the force on the ground to react as per intelligence.”
The former commissioner now hopes that the CISF would be able to win the confidence of protesting students and restore normalcy at the earliest.
Debashish Dhar, a former IPS officer, also said Kolkata Police failed to act efficiently. “Given what happened in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and how students took to protest there, the police should have intensified the security there more.”
“The police also didn’t protect the crime scene properly and allowed construction work in its proximity. These actions were viewed by protesting students and common people as evidence tampering.”
While ordering the deployment of the central force, the Supreme Court urged all protesting doctors across India to resume work at the earliest.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a team of the CISF, led by DIG K Pratap Singh, visited the spot and held several meetings with RG Kar Medical College and Hospital authorities, as well as local police to assess security arrangements there.
The CISF team also went to the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar, where they held a meeting with senior police officials. It remains to be seen when the CISF finally takes over the security responsibilities of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
On the other hand, the CBI continued to question former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh for the sixth consecutive day as part of its investigation into the case.
His role as the head of the administration in the aftermath of the rape and murder of the trainee doctors has been under the scanner of the central agency. Allegations of financial irregularities against him are also being probed.
Several protest rallies were taken out in Kolkata, including by sports personalities, doctors and political parties.
