In a dramatic escalation following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, has called for the immediate deployment of central forces at the institution. Adhikari made this request on Thursday, claiming that a ‘mob attack’ on the hospital was orchestrated to destroy crucial evidence related to the incident, which has sparked widespread protests across India’s medical community.
In a letter addressed to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Adhikari accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of West Bengal of sending ‘goons’ to the hospital with the intent of covering up the crime. He expressed deep concern over the integrity of the investigation and the safety of the protesting doctors. “The WB Govt and @KolkataPolice have turned RG Medical College and Hospital into a stinky quagmire by firstly allowing culprits to establish their fiefdom of crime and now allowing TMC goons to stomp upon the whole premises to destroy evidence (whatever was left of it) and scare the protesting Doctors,” Adhikari wrote on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a screenshot of his letter.
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Adhikari, a former member of the Trinamool Congress who has since become a prominent BJP leader, further alleged that the mob, described as ‘unruly,’ attempted to breach the girls’ hostel at midnight. He claimed that during this attack, police officers stationed at the hospital were so intimidated that they sought refuge inside toilets. “In a display of ‘perversity,’ the ‘unruly’ mob also tried to enter the girls’ hostel at midnight when the policemen ‘took refuge inside the toilets,’” Adhikari stated, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The LoP also revealed that he has written to both the Union Home Secretary and the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), urging them to deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces at the hospital. His request comes as a measure to prevent any further destruction of evidence and to ensure the safety of those involved in the investigation and the ongoing protests. “I have written to the Hon’ble Home Secretary; Ministry of Home Affairs; Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Hon’ble Director, Central Bureau of Investigation regarding the vandalism that took place at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and requested them to deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces to prevent further destruction of evidence at R G Kar,” Adhikari added.
The attack on the hospital occurred just hours after women in Kolkata and other cities across West Bengal launched the ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign at 11:55 PM on Wednesday, the eve of India’s 78th Independence Day. The campaign was organized to protest the brutal rape and murder of the young doctor, an incident that has shocked the nation and raised serious questions about safety and justice for women.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the CBI to take over the investigation from the Kolkata Police, amidst growing concerns about the impartiality and effectiveness of the local authorities. The CBI’s involvement is expected to bring a new level of scrutiny and rigor to the case, which has already seen widespread public outcry and demands for accountability.
