Doctor rape-murder case highlights | Autopsy reveals horrific details of crime, TMC leader accepts cops could not guard hospital

A silent candle march was taken out at midnight on Monday by a group of people here at The Ridge to demand justice for the Kolkata doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered.

. As West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose reached New Delhi to submit a report to the Centre in the wake of the rape and the murder of a doctor in a hospital in the city, the ruling Trinamool Congress on Monday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to use him to destabilise its government.

. Even as outrage over the rape and murder of a young doctor in a Kolkata hospital put the Trinamool Congress in a tight spot, Mamata Banerjee’s heir apparent and the party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was so far conspicuously silent, fueling speculation that he was not happy with the way the government was dealing with the situation.

. The West Bengal government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the body of a postgraduate trainee doctor was found earlier this month, according to a notification.

. As the hearing began, CJI D Y Chandrachud said that the Kolkata incident raises safety issues for doctors across the country. "We are concerned about doctors," he added.

. CJI Chandrachud asked, "How did the principal try to pass this off as a suicide?"

"The body was passed to parents in evening for cremation.. then next day doctors are protesting and a mob invaded the hospital and critical facilities were damaged and what was the Kolkata Police doing?," he asked.

. "When the conduct of the principal is under scrutiny how was the principal appointed as a principal of another college immediately. CBI needs to file a status report on this Thursday and let it apprise us about the status and since it [the probe] is at a sensitive stage, let it be given only to us. Today we will pass an order," CJI Chandrachud said.

. "We are setting up a national task force which will have doctors from diverse backgrounds who will suggest modalities to be followed all across India so that safety conditions of work is there and young or middle aged doctors are safe in their work environment. We request doctors to resume work and if patients lose their life ... We appeal to doctors that we are here to ensure their safety and security," CJI Chandrachud added.

. "We will indicate the broad parameters of our intervention. Let not the power of state of West Bengal be unleashed on peaceful protesters. Whether doctors, or civil society ... let not the power of the state be unleashed on them at all," CJI Chandrachud said.

. "We are unable to comprehend how the state was not able to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital," said CJI Chadrachud.

"The state was expected to deploy state machinery to maintain law and order and protect crime scene. We are unable to comprehend why the state could not do so," he stressed.

. "As more and more women join the work force ... the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground," CJI Chandrachud said.

. CJI Chandrachud observed that doctors lack place for rest, and no basic hygiene is maintained for them, in addition to the lack of security in medical healthcare units.

Doctors are left to handle unruly patients and only one common toilet is there for medical professionals in hospitals, the CJI further observed.

. Members of the task force include:

Surgeon Vice Admiral R Sarin

Dr D Nageshwar Reddy

Dr M Shreenivas

Dr Pratima Murty

Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri

Dr Saumitra Rawat

Prof Anita Saxena, Head Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi

Prof Pallavi Sapre, Dean Grant Medical College Mumbai

Dr Padma Srivastava, Neurology dept, AIIMS

Ex-officio members of the task force include:

Cabinet Secretary to Govt of India

Home Secretary to Govt of India

Secretary to Union Health Ministry

Chairperson of the National Medical Commission

President of the National Board of Examiners

. "The task force shall look into the safety, well-being of medical professionals and other cognate matters highlighted. The NTF shall consider following to prepare an action plan: prevent gender-based violence, prepare a national plan pertaining to improvement of safety norms, working conditions of interns, resident, and non-resident doctors," the CJI said.

. "CBI shall submit a status report by August 22, 2024 on the progress of its investigation into the crime. The state of West Bengal is to furnish a report by Aug 22 on the progress of the investigation into acts of vandalism which occurred in the aftermath of the incident at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital," CJI Chandrachud said.

. "There is unexplained delay in the registration of FIRs. The state must ensure that those who vandalised the hospital face action," CJI Chandrachud said.

. "The NTF is required to submit an interim report within 3 weeks and a final report in 2 months from the date of this order," CJI Chandrachud said.

. CJI Chandrachud said that a brief hearing will take place on Thursday, August 22, after the CBI and the Bengal govt submit their respective status reports to the apex court.

. The Kolkata Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, and others, under sections 120B read with 420 of the IPC, and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

. In a post on X, the Governor's Office said, "Anyone may call up the numbers if they wish to convey anything to HG.

The first call from the Mobile Control Room was given by HG to the father of the deceased Doctor. HG has given assurance of all support and consoled the bereaved family."

. The two mobile numbers are:

03322001641

92890 10682

. The resident doctor association (RDA) stated, "The decision comes in light of the government's acceptance of all critical demands put forward by residents of India..."

. Lawyers for TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, whose social media post seeking interrogation of Kolkata police commissioner by the CBI in the RG Kar medical college and hospital alleged rape and murder case, and the state on Tuesday told the Calcutta High court that they have reached a settlement on the issue. (PTI)

. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose after the Supreme Court hearing on Kolkata woman doctor rape and murder case "The entire nation heard with great relief the pronouncements of the Supreme Court of India. Remember, every saint has a past, every sinner has a future. Anyone listening? Will Mamata Banerjee please raise her hands?"

. RML RDA has retracted their statement of calling off the doctors' strike, calling it a 'miscommunication'. "We apologise for the same and want to rectify that we stand with our colleagues and other RDAs and we will take our decision only after there is a consensus amongst all other RDAs and the common decision of all RDAs will be our decision. We stand united," RDA (Resident Doctor Association).

. "The overall interim order of Supreme Court is based on scientific observation and the need of the day... Supreme Court did not say that police did not protect RG Kar Medical College, they said that the police could not protect it. At 12 in the night when the congregation of women from all walks of life assembled peacefully and demanded justice for the victim, the police could not protect RG Kar at that point in time, and that’s a fact", said TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar.

. Chairman of FAIMA Doctors Association, Dr Rohan Krishnan says, "In its notice, Supreme Court has raised the issues of doctors very well. We thank the Supreme Court for this. It said that National Task Force will be formed...The force has been told to ensure improving the living conditions and security conditions of doctors, and submit its opinion to the Supreme Court. This is a welcome step."

. The West Bengal government on Tuesday decided to employ retired police and defence personnel from the three services for supervision of the security arrangements at the health facilities in the state, an official said. The decision came on a day when the Supreme Court ordered the deployment of CISF to provide security at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a medic was allegedly raped and killed earlier this month, triggering nationwide outrage. (PTI)

. The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who was brutally raped and murdered, was subjected to immense physical trauma, revealed the scrutiny of the postmortem report.