Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Monday questioned why West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has set a seven-day deadline to resolve the graduate student rape-murder case and claimed that they will continue the strike until their demands are met satisfy.
Banerjee earlier in the day claimed that her government would hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation if the police failed to solve it by next Sunday.
Despite Banerjee's promise of a transparent investigation, protesters criticized the delay and demanded a judicial inquiry, the death penalty for the culprits and full compensation for the families of the victims.
They also demanded an apology from the Kolkata Police, claiming that rumors about the investigation were spreading, and demanded that all senior officials of the hospital be replaced and not reassigned elsewhere.
Initially, police suspected it was suicide, but later changed their story.
“Why is the investigation postponed until Sunday? We are not satisfied with the investigation. Our demands are clear. We want a judicial investigation into the matter and the death penalty for the culprits. The doctor's family must be well compensated.
Banerjee told reporters outside the victim's home that hospital director Sandip Ghosh had resigned.
“He spoke of the abuse hurled at him (after the incident). We have transferred him to another department. Due to negligence, we have also sacked the MSVP (medical superintendent and vice-chancellor). Department of Chest Medicine, in charge of security at RG Kar Hospital The Director and Kolkata Police ACP have also been dismissed.
Ghosh's appointment as principal of the National Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata triggered another controversy as junior doctors there instigated locking of the door of the principal's room.
Dr Suhrita Paul of RGKMCH was replaced by Ghosh, the order said.
“We are shocked that Sandip Ghosh has been reinstated as CNMC chief, which has only added fuel to the fire. Meanwhile, at this extremely sensitive time, Dr. Suhrita Paul has been appointed as RGKMC chief,” Dr. WB said Dr. Punyabrata Gun, one of the conveners of the joint platform.
He claimed that Paul was removed from his post as WBUHS VC chairman a few months ago due to financial irregularities.
Dr. Hiralal Konar, another co-convenor of the forum, claimed that efforts appeared to be underway to frustrate the entire system.
For the past three days, junior doctors had only carried out emergency duties, but from Monday morning they also stopped emergency duties.
A protesting junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place, said: “We will continue to protest until justice is served and the state ensures foolproof safety of all doctors and medical staff.”
The female graduate student's body was found in a hospital seminar room on Friday morning, and a citizen volunteer was arrested on Saturday in connection with the crime.
The students also demanded the release of the victim's autopsy report and CCTV footage installed near the seminar hall.
The state government has canceled the leave of all senior doctors to cope with the influx of patients, as outpatient visits are usually high on Mondays.
“Our senior doctors are on duty and we hope they can handle the influx of patients. They have been instructed to continue working until the situation stabilizes,” an official told PTI.
Support for the striking doctors came from across the country.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Associations of India (FORDA) supported the strike and called for a nationwide cessation of elective services, while the West Bengal Doctors Forum called on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to conduct an impartial inquiry and strengthen the supervision of medical staff. Safety.
Facing a backlash over the rape and murder of a doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Ghosh resigned after junior doctors demanded his removal for failing to provide safety to staff.
Meanwhile, police on Monday spoke to seven doctors who were on duty at Kolkata Police's Labazar headquarters on Thursday night, a police officer said.
He said four of the seven doctors had dinner with the deceased.
Police also spoke to five other people, including a woman known to the arrested defendant.
“Tomorrow we summoned the assistant professor who called the victim's parents and the police to inform them about the death,” the police officer said.
(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)
