Kolkata: The death of the female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has sparked a political storm in West Bengal even as police have arrested one person in the case.
A senior police officer said on Saturday that they have arrested one person for the alleged involvement in the murder of the woman postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital. The man was an outsider who had free access to the different departments of the hospital, the officer was quoted saying by news agency PTI.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the Intelligence Department of Kolkata Police to investigate the incident. This SIT is headed by a police officer of the rank of Additional Superintendent of Kolkata Police.
Talking more about the arrested accused, police said that they recovered a torn part of a Bluetooth earphone which led to the culprit. In fact, other PGTs and female doctors also identified the culprit from CCTV footage grabbed from other parts of the hospital premises, a source in the police department said. Police officers also claimed that the arrested accused had given different statements during the grilling.
"Now, we are trying to find out who else was with him or he had someone else with him," he said, adding that police might conduct necessary medical examinations on him.
A city court ordered a 14-day police remand for the accused, charged under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the BNS. The judge granted the prosecution's request for a 14-day police remand till August 23 for further questioning in connection with the crime.
Police have also questioned two intern doctors the entire Friday night in connection with their ongoing probe into the death of the doctor, he said.
The semi-nude body of a woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in Kolkata on Friday. The deceased, a second-year student of the chest medicine department, was on duty on Thursday night. The body bore injury marks.
Her father had alleged that she was raped and murdered inside Kar Medical College and Hospital and efforts are on to hide the truth. Preliminary autopsy report confirmed sexual abuse of the woman doctor before she was killed, police said.
BJP Leaders Target Mamata Govt, Demand CBI Probe
Amit Malviya, BJP's information and technology department-in-charge, posted on X, claiming that the doctor was raped and murdered. “Her body (was) found in the duty room. Mamata Banerjee Govt is trying to hide the crime. Kolkata Police has been asked to cover up, and show it as suicide. Media is not being allowed in. Repeat: no woman is safe in West Bengal,” he wrote.
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday, demanded a CBI inquiry into the death of the doctor. He also urged student communities to protest against the state government's lackadaisical response.
Taking to the social media platform X, Suvendu Adhikari said, "The body of the second-year postgraduate student at RG Kar Medical College, found dead inside the Seminar Hall on the 3rd floor of the emergency building under mysterious circumstances, reportedly had injury marks."
"Unconfirmed reports suggest signs of strangulation and traces of seminal fluid. This appears to be a clear case of murder, possibly involving rape. The case should be immediately transferred to the CBI," he added.
He further criticised the state government, saying, "Instead of addressing the issue seriously, the State Government has formed an 11-member inquiry committee, which bizarrely includes some interns. It seems the government is either trying to cover up its negligence or is not taking this matter seriously."
"I urge the student community, especially medical students, to protest vigorously against the State Government's complacent attitude. I will provide all the support necessary to ensure justice for the deceased student," the BJP leader stated.
Earlier on Friday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sougata Roy commented on the incident, stating, "I learned that this student is from our constituency. I have reviewed all the documents and investigated the matter. We hope the accused will be arrested and punished soon." On Friday evening, a group of students organized a candlelight march in the city following the discovery of the postgraduate trainee doctor's body.
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul has also demanded a CBI investigation and a re-postmortem by a Central Government hospital.
"The condition in which her body was found--completely naked with bruises--suggests she was raped and then murdered. We demand a CBI investigation. A postmortem should not be conducted after evening, yet it was done here. If the postmortem is carried out under the state system, the truth will be buried," Paul asserted.
She further insisted on a re-postmortem by a central government hospital, stating, "We want a re-postmortem by a central government hospital. This is all we demand to ensure she receives justice."
SFI, DYFI To Protest
The SFI and DYFI on Saturday said they will hold road blockades across West Bengal to protest the murder of the trainee doctor. The SFI and DYFI, which are CPI(M)'s students' and youth wings respectively, said they will hold road blockades across West Bengal on Saturday and Sunday to protest the murder.
