Kolkata:

A bust to honour the junior doctor raped and killed at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital in August has triggered a row, with many supporting its installation but others, including ruling Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh, calling it “disgusting”, “disrespectful” to the woman’s memory, and “the worst thing ever”.

The fibreglass bust – titled ‘Abhaya: Cry of the Hour’ and installed at the hospital and made by sculptor Bhaskar Sai – shows a woman screaming in agony with her head thrown back and eyes wide open.

It was installed Wednesday morning after a protest march by junior doctors from various city medical colleges on the occasion of ‘Mahalaya‘. This is an auspicious day that normally falls a week before Durga Puja and marks the transition from the inauspicious ‘pitri paksha‘ to ‘devi paksha‘.

Doctors who have participated in the nearly two-month long protest against the horrific crime, demanding, among other things, increased security on hospital campuses, told reporters the bust “is not of the victim… but a symbol of pain and torture she went through… and the ongoing protests”.

Some welcomed the bust; one X user, @senktk1979, suggested it may be “required as we humans forget everything… (this will not) allow us to forget this incident” and another, @PaulRhakho, raged, “Don’t remove till justice is done… let the world know India is not safe for women…”

This is extremely disgusting and disrespectful.
Letting the Criminals walk free without any remorse and allegations on 1 hand
And putting this disgusting statue up on the other?
‘Cry of the hour’ my foot!

— DrHumorless (@DrHumorless) October 3, 2024

However, not everyone agrees.

Mr Ghosh posted on X that “the installation of this statue in the name of Tilottama (the sobriquet given to the murdered doctor) is against the spirit of the Supreme Court pronouncement”.

“No responsible person can do that… not even in the name of art. There will be protests and demands for justice but the statue with the girl’s face of pain is not right,” he said.

On his side of the fence, one X user said, “Our country is beyond repair.”

Our country is beyond repair

— Bhushan (@Shitpost_44) October 3, 2024

“Speechless at how insensitive this is… to have one’s pain immortalised, to only be known for being sexually violated… I hope this disgusting statue is destroyed,” another user said.

“I wish… The mob should attack this sculpture first. Shameful design. No one wants to see a sculpture of someone in pain… instead they could have created a sculpture in which Goddess Durga beheads the rapist as capital punishment for his mistake…” a third user raged.

Last month the Supreme Court ordered free online database Wikipedia to remove the name and photo of the doctor; the site had identified the doctor in an entry about the shocking RG Kar killing.

READ | Top Court Orders Wikipedia To Remove Kolkata Horror Victim’s Name

However, Indian laws do not permit release of rape victims and survivors’ identities, and a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud reminded owners Wikimedia Foundation of this fact, stating, “The identity of the victim should not be revealed in any way. Wikipedia should immediately remove photo and content revealing her identity,” the bench said, directing deletion from social media too.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday doctors protesting the RG Kar killing resumed their ‘indefinite’ strike, pressing, once again, for demands that include ensuring their safety at all hospitals and clinics in the state.

READ | “Compelled To…”: Bengal Doctors Resume Strike Over RG Kar Horror

They also criticised the “slow”-paced CBI investigation, saying, “We have seen many times before… CBI has been unable to reach conclusions and allows real culprits to go free due to delays…”

READ | Kolkata Rape Murder: Junior Doctors Resume Work After 42 Days

Ten days earlier the junior doctors had stood down their month-long agitation, after finally meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and returned to provide essential and emergency services but not in outpatient departments. They had then given the state a week to fulfil their demands.

READ | Bengal Replaces Kolkata Police Chief, 2 Others On Doctors’ Demand

Ongoing CBI Investigation

The junior doctor was found dead in a seminar room of the hospital early August 9. The killing sparked furious protests and was compared to the Nirbhaya rape and murder in Delhi in December 2012.

The CBI, which took over the case after being ordered to by the Calcutta High Court, after it overruled a deadline for the police set by the Chief Minister, has arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was the RG Kar Hospital chief at the time, before he resigned claiming “moral responsibility”.

READ | CBI’s Cover-Up Claims Against Ex Principal, Cop In Kolkata Horror

Ghosh has been arrested in connection with alleged financial irregularities in running the hospital, and has been subject to extensive interrogation and a lie-detector test. The CBI has also taken into custody a civilian volunteer with Kolkata Police – Sanjoy Roy – who is the prime accused.

The doctor’s killing has sparked a massive political squabble with the Trinamool and the Chief Minister under severe pressure from the opposition BJP and civil society activists.

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Kolkata:

Junior doctors in Bengal – protesting the rape and murder of a colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital on August 8 – resumed their ‘indefinite’ strike Tuesday, pressing, once again, for demands that include ensuring safety and security of medical professionals at all hospitals and clinics in the state.

“We are compelled to return to a full ‘ceasework’ starting today. Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the striking doctors said in a statement issued this morning.

They also criticised the “slow”-paced CBI investigation into their colleague’s murder, saying, “We have seen many times before that the CBI has been unable to reach any conclusions, allowing the real culprits of such incidents to go free due to delays in filing charges…”

“The Supreme Court, which had taken the initiative to expedite the trial of this heinous incident, has instead only postponed hearings and reduced the actual length of proceedings. We are disappointed and angered by this protracted judicial process,” the doctors’ body raged.

Ten days ago the junior doctors stood down from a month-long agitation, after finally meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and returned to provide essential and emergency services but not in outpatient departments. They had then given the state a week to fulfil their demands.

READ | Kolkata Rape Murder: Junior Doctors Resume Work After 42 Days

Resumption of the strike follows an eight-hour meeting between the protesting doctors, who had earlier placed a list of 10 demands before Ms Banerjee’s government.

Apart from increased and improved security, the list included improving hospital infrastructure and firing key officials in her administration, including the Health Secretary, over claims of a ‘threat culture’.

READ | Mamata Banerjee Says “Willing To Resign” Amid Stand-Off With Doctors

These measures, they have said, were “clearly communicated” in their meeting with the Chief Minister and government officials, but a lack of action had left them with no option. The state has, however, since replaced Kolkata Police chief Vineet Kumar Goyal and two health department officials.

READ | Bengal Replaces Kolkata Police Chief, 2 Others On Doctors’ Demand

On Monday night, as the junior doctors’ grumblings intensified, the Bengal government’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, told NDTV he had interacted with them and was “sure they will respond”.

“Work Being Done”, Says State

“… they will serve the society, for which they have done their training. They are doctors and we respect their profession… every citizen respects their profession… and we expect the same response from them,” he said, explaining the Chief Minister had already held review meetings with the principals and the heads of medical colleges and universities, and “work has begun”.

“Somewhere it is 30 per cent, somewhere 40… but work is going on in different stages. For any work to be done, some time is required. Even to install CCTV cameras some time is required and to build bathrooms, time is needed. But the point is we are working,” he reassured the doctors.

“Everybody is working together… it is a collaborative effort and I am sure the results will be visible and we should not be impatient about it,” he said.

READ | Supreme Court Orders Wikipedia To Remove Kolkata Horror Victim’s Name

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court – which had taken suo moto cognisance of the killing – resumed hearing of the case Monday, with the focus on a disturbing new development. Photos of the murdered doctor – generated by AI tools – have begun circulating online, in direct violation of the top court’s orders.

Ongoing CBI Investigation

The junior doctor was found dead in a seminar room at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital early August 9. Her gruesome killing sparked furious protests nationwide, and was compared to the equally horrific Nirbhaya rape and murder in Delhi in December 2012.

The CBI, which took over the case after being ordered to by the Calcutta High Court, after it overruled a deadline for the police set by the Chief Minister, has arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was the RG Kar Hospital chief at the time, before he resigned claiming “moral responsibility”.

Ghosh has been arrested in connection with alleged financial irregularities in running the hospital, and has been subject to extensive interrogation and a lie-detector test, while properties belonging to him and associates have been searched. The CBI has also taken into custody a civilian volunteer with Kolkata Police – Sanjoy Roy – who is the prime accused.

The doctor’s killing has sparked a massive political row with the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Chief Minister under severe pressure from the opposition and civil society activists.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

Kolkata:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital has found a crucial document showing that former principal Sandip Ghosh gave instructions to the state public works department (PWD) to conduct renovation in areas adjacent to the scene of the crime a day after victim’s body was recovered.

The body of the victim was recovered on the morning of August 9 from the seminar room within the hospital premises.

Sources said the investigating officials secured a crucial document showing that Ghosh issued the permission letter to state PWD to conduct renovation work in a room and toilet adjacent to the seminar hall, which is the scene of the crime.

The investigating officials have accessed that permission letter which bears the signature of Ghosh and is dated August 10, sources said.

Sources said that initially it was perceived that the instruction to PWD to start the renovation work was given by an administrative official of RG Kar under the instruction of Ghosh.

However, on accessing the permission letter it is clear how keen Ghosh was in getting the renovation completed.

On August 13 evening, just hours after a division bench of Calcutta High Court ordered CBI to take over the rape and investigation probe from Kolkata Police, the state PWD staff attempted the renovation work at a room adjacent to the seminar hall from where the body of the victim was recovered on the morning of August 9.

However, that renovation work could not be carried out following massive protests by the students’ fraternity within the hospital premises as soon as the work started.

Sources said that the investigating officials believe that since the document shows Ghosh’s keenness in getting the renovation done, it can be handy in establishing the links between the two parallel investigations by the agency — the first being on the rape and murder case and the second on the financial irregularities at RG Kar.

Incidentally, Ghosh is currently in CBI custody in connection with the financial irregularities case.

The protesting representatives from the state’s medical fraternity have been claiming that the incident at RG Kar was not an isolated case of rape and murder and the victim was killed as she became aware of the irregularities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Lucknow:

BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said incidents of crime against women were “extremely worrying”, and asked political parties to rise above party politics and take “strict steps” to prevent them.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of the nationwide outcry over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and also cases of rape of girls in other parts of the country.

“The incidents of rape, murder and suicide, especially of innocent girls and women, happening in Bengal, Badlapur in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Kannauj, Agra and Farrukhabad districts of Uttar Pradesh are extremely sad and worrying,” the former chief minister said on X.

1. देश में कभी बंगाल, कभी महाराष्ट्र के बदलापुर, कभी बिहार में तो कभी यूपी के कन्नौज, आगरा व फर्रूखाबाद ज़िले आदि में भी मासूम बच्चियों नाबालिग़ व महिलाओं पर ख़ासकर रेप, हत्या व आत्महत्या आदि की हो रही घटनाएं अति-दुःखद व चिन्ताजनक। 1/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

“The Centre and all state governments should rise above party politics and take strict steps in this matter so that such incidents stop happening. Politics should not be done in its guise. This is the need of the hour and also in the interest of women,” she added.

2. केन्द्र व सभी राज्य सरकारें, इस मामले में दलगत राजनीति से ऊपर उठकर सख़्त कदम उठाएं, ताकि ऐसी घटनायें जल्दी होना बन्द हो, ना कि इसकी आड़ में राजनीति की जाए, यही समय की मांग है तथा यही महिलाओं के हित में भी है। 2/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Kolkata Police has extended prohibitory orders near the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for an additional week, until August 31.

The orders, which were first imposed on August 18, restrict meetings and gatherings of more than five people in the designated area.

Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal on Saturday issued a statement confirming the extension of Section 163 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) around the hospital. The prohibitory orders cover the area from Belgachia Road-J K Mitra crossing to some parts of Shyambazar five point crossing belt in North Kolkata.

The extension is intended to prevent disturbances and maintain peace and order in the area. The decision follows ongoing unrest related to the recent rape-murder of a woman doctor at the hospital, which has led to significant agitation.

The order stipulates that any person violating these prohibitions will be subject to penalties under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Veteran Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, has now taken refuge in a cartoon by legendary Indian artist and humourist RK Laxman to express his anguish over the recent summons to him by Kolkata Police over his social media post on the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.

He has posted that cartoon on his official X handle, featuring a youth (arguably anyone raising their voice against any evil or injustice) being dragged by his shirt collar by a policeman through the street, with passersby watching the scene.

“Of course, you weren’t spreading rumours – the charge is you were spreading facts!” read the lines written on the cartoon created on December 26, 1962.

Mr Roy expressed his amusement by posting a “grinning” emoji along with the post.

pic.twitter.com/hC2g9ZLwVh

— Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (@Sukhendusekhar) August 23, 2024

Although Mr Roy did not make any explanatory statement on his social media wall, it is easily understood that his post was in relation to the recent summons issued to him by Kolkata Police over one of the posts on his social media wall, which he had to ultimately delete.

Earlier this month, Mr Roy had posted on his social media handle a demand for the custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, in connection with the probe in the rape and murder case.

After the Kolkata Police issued two notices to question Roy for allegedly spreading misinformation through a particular social media post, the veteran politician approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection against coercive police action, including arrest.

Later on August 20, during the hearing in the matter at Calcutta High Court, Roy’s counsel informed the court that his client had agreed to take down the content that he posted on his X handle.

The West Bengal government counsel, thereafter, informed the court that since Roy had agreed to delete the post, the police would not take any action against him and would close the matter. On the same evening the post was deleted from his X wall.

It remains to be see what the police’s reaction to the latest post by the rebel MP will be.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi/Kolkata:

The controversial former head of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has been undergoing a gruelling questioning session in the probe into the rape and murder of a doctor. The CBI has been questioning Sandip Ghosh till midnight for the past three days and they have summoned him again today.

Here are some questions that the CBI has asked him over the past three days:

• Why was there such a hurry to declare this death a suicide?
• You are a doctor yourself. Did you not think it is important to keep the crime scene safe?
• On whose advice was the information given to the family and why was it devoid of facts?
• You must be well aware that tampering with evidence at the crime scene is a crime. Despite that, why did you not keep it safe till the investigation was completed?
• Why was the family of the doctor informed after several hours?
• Why was there a delay in showing the body to her family?
• What are the security arrangements in the hospital?
• Why did you resign immediately after the incident? What is the reason behind it?

Officials suggest the former principal is yet to give satisfactory answers to these questions.

Dr Ghosh, who had resigned two days after the incident, has also been asked about his steps immediately after the doctor’s body was found and about the sudden renovation of rooms near the seminar hall where the doctor’s body was found.

The CBI, which is also examining his call records and chat, has asked him to provide details of his phone calls before and after the incident that occurred on August 9. They are also planning to get his call and data consumption details from the service provider.

The rape-murder incident has sparked a massive wave of anger across the country with doctors suspending non-emergency duties and hitting the streets for justice.

Kolkata:

Trinamool has turned up the heat on the central agency probing the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor that has shaken the country. Five days have passed since the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, but there has been no update since, said a parliamentarian from the party led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“The RG Kar case was handed over to the CBI on August 14. It has been five days and there has not been a single update from the CBI. Also, the only arrest in the case is the accused nabbed by Kolkata Police. CBI has not even summoned any suspects for questioning in the last five days. Moreover, the central agency has not even tried to counter the numerous rumours being spread on media and social media,” said Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose in a video statement.

Read | “Bigger Than Our Club”: Football Rivals Unite To Protest Kolkata Rape Horror

Ms Banerjee, who has backed the doctors’ protest in wake of the horrific rape-murder incident, had given a Sunday ultimatum to the CBI to complete probe and hang the culprits.

That deadline has passed, leading to a volley of questions at the premier agency that is tasked with probing the country’s biggest crime incidents. Ms Ghose led the charge as her party accused the CBI of trying to bury the case.

“What is the CBI doing? At this point, it seems that they’re keeping their head down just to allow BJP to target the state government and keep spreading a false narrative. None of the Opposition parties are asking even a word to the CBI. As we had said, the priority in this case is for justice to be done. Is the CBI trying to bury the case? What explains their complete inaction for five days?” asked the journalist-turned-parliamentarian.

Read | What Autopsy Report Of Kolkata Doctor Says About Injuries She Suffered

She also wondered why the media didn’t bother to ask the CBI for an update in these five days.

Ms Ghose demanded that the CBI call a press conference at the soonest as she declared her party will not allow it “to bury this case and hide the truth”.

The rape and murder of the 31-year-old doctor has sparked protests across the country, including midnight vigils where women vowed to “reclaim the night” to make it safer for them out late. A suspect who worked as a contractual staff with the city police is in custody, but the victim’s family believes more people were involved in the crime.

Kolkata:
Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered last week, is echoing slogans for justice – day and night. The fallout has now taken a political turn with both BJP and Trinamool announcing rallies today.

Here are top 10 points in this big story:

Kolkata:

Amid nationwide uproar over the Kolkata hospital rape-murder, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a rally this evening to demand death penalty for the accused. She has given a Sunday ultimatum to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the central agency that has taken over the probe, to ensure that the accused is hanged till death by then.

With the protesters accusing the police of mishandling the case and the Trinamool of trying destroy evidence – a rally by the Chief Minister came as a surprise to many. Ms Banerjee holds the police and home portfolios in the state administration.

Trinamool MP and spokesperson Derek O’Brien clarified why the party chief will hit the streets today.

“It is hard to conceive of a more bestial, heinous crime than the murder and rape of a young woman that took place in Kolkata. The public outrage is entirely understandable. Thoughts and prayers with her family,” he said as he sought to justify the upcoming rally.

Read more

“Why is Mamata Banerjee leading a rally on the RG Kar Hospital incident?” “Fair question,” he said.

“Because: CBI, which is now handling the case, must give daily updates on the investigation. The deadline given by the CM to Kolkata Police to complete the investigation was August 17. The same must apply to CBI,” the senior Trinamool leader added.

He pointed out that an accused was arrested by Kolkata Police and justice will happen only when CBI arrests all other involved and send the case to a fast-track court.

“CBI taking over the case shouldn’t lead to it being quietly buried. The urgent need of the hour is swift justice and the harshest punishment for the culprits. No one who committed this barbaric act must be spared,” added the quiz master-turned-politician.

It is hard to conceive of a more bestial, heinous crime than the murder and rape of a young woman that took place in Kolkata. The public outrage is entirely understandable. Thoughts and prayers with her family.

“Why is @MamataOfficial leading a rally on the RG Kar Hospital…

— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) August 16, 2024

He also called for action against the mob that ransacked the hospital where the doctor was raped and murder. Sharing an update on police action, he said 19 people have been arrested so far.

The incident at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked protests and strikes by doctors across the country. The hospital was vandalised by a mob during a midnight protest two days ago.

Big stories today

Ms Banerjee had earlier vowed to hand over the rape-murder probe to the CBI if the police were not able to solve it by Sunday. The Calcutta High Court, however, was not ready to allow any “further loss of time” and asked the CBI to take over on Tuesday.

Shifting her ultimatum to the CBI, the Chief Minister had said the central agency must now complete the probe by Sunday.