Centre Writes to West Bengal Govt for CISF Deployment at RG Kar Hospital

New Delhi:The Union home ministry on Wednesday issued a directive to the West Bengal Chief Secretary, requesting the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. This decision comes in the wake of a Supreme Court order, according to official sources.

A CISF team, led by a deputy inspector general (DIG), conducted a survey of the hospital complex on Wednesday morning. The team discussed the current security arrangements with local police and hospital authorities, an official said. The Union home ministry has instructed that the CISF secure both the hospital and the resident doctors' hostel, sources added. An armed team of the paramilitary force is expected to be deployed soon.

This action follows the tragic incident earlier this month when the body of a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found in the hospital's seminar room on August 9. The doctor was allegedly raped and murdered. The next day, a civic volunteer who was an outsider frequently seen on the hospital premises was arrested in connection with the case.

The incident has sparked nationwide protests, with medical services being disrupted as hundreds of doctors have gone on strike, demanding stronger safety measures for healthcare professionals through a central law.

On August 15, tensions escalated further when a mob stormed RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, vandalising the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, and damaging CCTV cameras. The incident has intensified calls for enhanced security at medical institutions across the country.