KOLKATA: Two days after a postgraduate student of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was raped and murdered at the seminar hall, the West Bengal government on Sunday removed the superintendent of RG Kar Medical College from his post.
On Sunday police handed over the post mortem report of the deceased to the victim's family members.
The decision comes amidst protesting students demanding swift action against those responsible and justice for the victim, a 31-year-old second-year postgraduate student.
The superintendent, Dr Sanjay Vasishta, who had been in charge of the hospital has been removed, and the dean of the hospital, Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, has been appointed as his replacement.
However, TMC general secretary Abhisekh Banerjee said punishment will be given. He said, “The CM has said that, but our law delays it. These people do not have the right to stay in the society. People who are doing politics should bring bills so that these rapists get punished within seven days. If we don't change the law, nothing will change. A strict law should be brought for a speedy trial in seven days. Why will they keep that accused in jail for 5-6 years and invest so much money during their trial?”
The trainee doctor was found in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College with injury marks on her body, and an autopsy later confirmed that she was raped and then murdered. The suspected accused was arrested on Saturday and has been sent to 14-day police custody.
The incident has sparked widespread outcry in the state, with medical students and doctors at the college announcing a protest to hold those responsible accountable. In a statement issued on Sunday, the protesting doctors accused the hospital administration of neglecting their repeated demands for increased security measures on campus.
The resident doctors alleged that the “entire security agency of RG Kar Medical College is flawed” and stated that they “want strict action to be taken in this regard”.
They also stated that their proposals for increased security on the hospital premises by increasing the installation of CCTV cameras with round-the-clock real-time monitoring have not been addressed.
The accused, Sanjoy Roy, who was reportedly an outsider frequenting the hospital premises, has been charged under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He has been remanded in police custody till August 23.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek the death penalty for the perpetrator, while the opposition BJP targeted the Trinamool Congress government, citing the incident as evidence of a failed law and order system and lack of women's safety, demanding a CBI investigation.
Banerjee stated, "I have directed the case to be taken to a fast-track court. If needed, the accused will be hanged. But they should be given the strictest punishment," and added that her government would have no objections to a CBI probe if the students and the victim's family requested it.
Meanwhile, the junior doctors of RG Kar Hospital decided to continue their ‘cease work’ protest, demanding justice for the victim. The doctors expressed disagreement with the police's claim that only one person was involved in the killing of the female doctor. They also alleged that the authorities are "intentionally trying to cover something big" behind the arrest of the accused.