The West Bengal government has transferred the Superintendent of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata following allegations of lapses that led to the rape and murder of a female postgraduate trainee doctor on Friday. The decision came after doctors protested, demanding stricter action.
On Sunday, junior doctors and medical students protested outside North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, expressing outrage over the assault and murder of their colleague. The protest disrupted services in government hospitals across the state, prompting the health department to cancel holidays and off-days for senior doctors to address the shortage of personnel.
In response to the situation, the Director of Medical Education issued an order reassigning Prof. Dr. Sanjay Vashisth and Prof. Dr. Bulbul Mukhopadhyay to new roles within the college.
Several medical associations across India have expressed solidarity with the protesting doctors. The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association of India (FORDA) called for a nationwide halt of elective services in hospitals on Monday. Additionally, the West Bengal Doctors Forum urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to form an impartial inquiry committee to investigate the case and demanded capital punishment for the accused, along with improved security for healthcare workers in the state.
The Kolkata Police have arrested Sanjay Roy, a volunteer with the police force, in connection with the crime. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case, and a final post-mortem report is awaited. Preliminary findings indicate that the victim was sexually assaulted before being strangled and smothered to death, with severe injuries found on her body.
