Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday handed over the probe of vandalism at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital premises which took place on the night of August 14 during a midnight protest against the rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor, from the Kolkata Police to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The high court came down heavily on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over the vandalism of the medical facility where the incident took place, calling it an “absolute failure of state machinery.”
“We will close down the hospital. We will shift everyone. Close the hospital. How many patients are there?” the court asked.
The high court lambasted the state police and said that it was not able to protect itself, how can these doctors work fearlessly? A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked, “So they (the police) couldn’t protect their own men? A sorry state of affairs. How will doctors there work fearlessly?”
The court took cognisance of the matter because of emails it received due to the vandalism and mob attack at the hospital, Live Law reported.
While responding to the bench headed by chief justice, the government said as quoted by Live Law, “… there was a mob of around 7,000. The number suddenly swelled… I have videos. They broke barricades… tear gas was fired and 15 police personnel were injured. Deputy Commissioner was injured. Police vehicles damaged. Emergency room ransacked but place of occurrence the crime scene was protected.”
Reprimanding the state for not handling the situation, the Chief Justice said that 7,000 people can’t come walking. In its observations, the court stressed that such incidents have a significant impact on the doctors and medical staff.
The court further emphasised that it is the state government’s responsibility to create an atmosphere where medical professionals can perform their duties without any fear of violence.
Amid the ongoing protests over the horrendous crime, around 40-50 miscreants entered the premises of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during early hours of Thursday and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where the body of the victim was found. The Kolkata Police, meanwhile, arrested 19 people and detained three for the vandalism incident.
The doctors and medical staff are protesting across the country over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Earlier, the CBI took over the investigation into the case from the Kolkata Police on the direction of the high court.
