In the aftermath of the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, three senior Kolkata Police officers, including two assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), have been suspended. The suspension comes in response to the vandalism that erupted at the state-run hospital following the brutal crime.
Mob at the premises of RG Kar Medical College
Last week, a mob stormed the premises of RG Kar Medical College, targeting the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store in a rampage that has drawn widespread condemnation. This act of vandalism took place during the midnight protests led by women in Kolkata, who were demanding justice for the slain doctor.
An official confirmed the suspensions, stating, “Three officers have been suspended… Two are assistant police commissioners and one is an inspector.” The suspensions reflect the growing scrutiny and criticism directed at the Kolkata Police for their inability to manage the volatile situation and prevent the chaos that unfolded at the hospital.
The Kolkata Police’s handling of the situation has been harshly criticized by both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court. The courts have reprimanded the police for their failure to control the mob and protect the hospital, which was an active crime scene at the time.
Supreme Court’s hearing
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court took the police to task over several lapses in their response to the crime and its aftermath. The court questioned the delay in filing the first information report (FIR), the delay in handing over the victim’s body to her family, and the failure to safeguard women and doctors during the violent attack on the hospital.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who led the bench, expressed deep concern over the implications of such lapses on women’s safety in the country. He emphasized that the nation would be failing to uphold the right to equality if women could not go to work and feel safe. The court also highlighted a disturbing attempt by Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to misrepresent the rape and murder as a suicide.
The bench further criticized the police for allowing miscreants to enter the hospital, stressing that it was unacceptable to permit such activity in a place that was an active crime scene. Additionally, the court pointed out the troubling timeline of events, noting that the victim’s body was handed over to her family at 8:30 a.m. for the funeral, while the FIR for the murder was not registered until 11:45 p.m.
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case
The tragic incident occurred when the young doctor, exhausted from a grueling 36-hour shift, sought a brief respite in the seminar hall, where she was brutally assaulted. The post-mortem report revealed the full extent of the violence she endured, with 16 external and nine internal injuries, confirming that she had been sexually assaulted.
The murder has sparked outrage across the country, with doctors leading protests demanding justice for their fallen colleague. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court urged the protesting doctors to call off their agitation, assuring them that their concerns would be addressed and that decisive action would be taken in response to their demands.
