Uneasy calm in RG Kar Hospital after goons vandalise premises

Kolkata: An organised, pre-planned mob on Thursday highjacked a peaceful protest and went on the rampage at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) in Kolkata, where a doctor was raped and killed on August 9, vandalising the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating.

Nine persons were arrested in connection with three cases being filed that were initiated suo motu by the police.

The hooliganism unfolded after 12 midnight during the all-women vigil ‘Reclaim the Night, Justice for RG Kar’ was being held in the city.

The attack took place within hours of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's salvo at the Opposition for 'defaming' her government and the state over the murder of the doctor, and her announcement of a counter-protest by the Trinamul Congress on August 17.

Governor C.V. Ananda Bose visited the hospital later and assured of the protesters of justice after speaking to the officials.

The attackers, who the BJP alleged were backed by TMC and wanted to destroy evidence, stormed RGKMCH and vandalised the protest venue of the doctors and the emergency department after removing the police barricades.

The anarchy continued for almost two hours during which stones were pelted, leaving some cops injured. Two police vehicles, the police barrack and a motorbike were damaged. The cops fired tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to tackle the situation.

Those who had gathered outside the RGKMCH to attend the midnight vigil were in panic. Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal rushed to the spot at around 2 am.

He said, “What happened here is due to a wrong and motivated media campaign. Kolkata Police lost the trust of the people due to a malicious media campaign. There is so much pressure from the media.”

He added, “I am telling you from the core of my heart, from every member of the team, that we have not tried to save anyone. We are a responsible force, we can't destroy evidence just like that."

Later, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee posted on X-handle, “The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata, urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today’s violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations.”

He added, “The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised.”

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari however claimed, “Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical protest rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn't get picked up by the CBI.”

He added, “As they were dumb TMC hooligans they couldn't execute the plan well and revealed their identity when they vandalised the Dharna Manch of the Resident Doctors, PGTs & Internees. Why would someone who has come to show solidarity would destroy the Epicenter of the Protests? Lastly the protests happened peacefully across the state, why violence only erupted at RG Kar? @BengalGovernor should immediately intervene. @CBIHeadquarters should take note of the brazen attempt by the TMC to destroy evidence.”