Following an aggressive incident where an unidentified mob vandalized the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Suhrita Pal, the newly appointed Principal, voiced her frustrations. Amidst the chaos, she called for trust from the public. The situation escalated as doctors protested, demanding action against the attackers and fulfillment of the medical students' and doctors' demands.

In a heated exchange with the students, Pal declared, “If you can’t trust me for one hour then send me home also. I need one hour to do some official work. You need to believe me, I won’t go. You have to believe me. If you can’t believe me then don’t expect anything from me.”

The backdrop to this unrest was grim. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was tragically found deceased in the seminar hall of the same institution. The victim’s family has claimed that she was sexually assaulted and murdered, sparking protests across the nation's medical community.

On the day of the mob attack, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) stepped forward to denounce the violence, labeling the uncontrolled vandalism as indicative of anarchy. The IMA sharply criticized the government led by Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, holding it accountable for the breakdown of public order.

Further complicating matters, the Kolkata Police had to clarify that the crime scene, where the junior doctor was allegedly raped and murdered, remained untouched during the subsequent vandalism on the night of August 14. This incident had led to a severe disruption, with mobs storming the hospital campus, vandalizing the protest site, attacking vehicles, and damaging public property, which necessitated a swift response from security forces to control the situation.

Kolkata Police forces young lady doctor to delete tweets against RG Kar rape and murder, asks her to visit police station, other netizens get notices

In a move that critics say typifies their approach, the Kolkata Police have been accused of trying to quell the outcry over the distressing rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital. Early on the 16th of August 2024, actions were taken against a young doctor who has been vocal about the incident. She reported that police officers visited her home late in the evening, instructed her to delete certain tweets concerning the matter, and summoned her to the police station the following day.

The young doctor, known on the social media platform X as @epicnephrin_e, shared her experience on X, detailing the police's visit.

She recounted the events of the previous evening, stating, “They eventually reached my place and my brother and sister in law were present. My brother called me and put me on speaker. ‘Did you post about a student of Burdwan university?’ ‘Yes, I did.’ ‘Did you verify the credibility of the post?’ ‘I did see articles of media houses about the same but I blatantly believed an angle I saw spreading in people’s statuses (that it was related to the ‘Claim the night’ protest). I edited it under the post after verification.’ ‘Please delete the post and don’t further post information without verifying and report to the Town thana tomorrow’.”

In her post, she further explained that during the encounter, her brother interceded on her behalf with the police, highlighting her distress over the brutal incident that had impacted her deeply. Meanwhile, her mother, overwhelmed by the situation, was reportedly in tears.

In the days leading up to the police visit, the young doctor was vocal on social media about the case. On the 14th of August, a TMC supporter had explicitly threatened her, stating that she would ensure the police targeted her.

She had also expressed concerns over threats from TMC affiliates on Twitter, fearing police reprisal. “She had also tweeted about the threats from TMC goons that she was receiving, claiming that the police would act against her.”

Hours before the police’s arrival at her residence, she had issued an apology on Twitter for her previous posts. The tweet drew numerous responses, highlighting the community’s worry about her being threatened and intimidated by TMC supporters and the Kolkata Police.

While she faced direct police intervention, other voices on the platform X were also being silenced through legal notices.

Shefali Vaidya, an author and commentator, shared her experience on X about the notice she received from the Kolkata Police. “So I got this threatening letter from @KolkataPolice for merely asking a few questions and for exercising my right of free speech. This is a clear case of @MamataOfficial administration silencing the voice of private citizens using the power of Kolkata Police. I am just a private citizen who is so disgusted by what happened to #Moumita_Debnath that I decided to speak up. But apparently, @KolkataPolice does NOT like independent voices that speak up. As a woman and as a mother, I fear for my safety. We all know what Kolkata Police can do, and we all know what happens to women who dare to speak against @MamataOfficial in West Bengal”, Shefali detailed in her post.

Another X user also posted about the intimidatory notice she received for merely demanding justice for the doctor raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital.

The brutal assault and murder of a young doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital have ignited widespread condemnation and protests across the nation. Thousands of doctors have taken to the streets to demand justice for the doctor who was subject to horrific brutality inside the hospital premises. On the 14th of August, as massive crowds demanded justice in Kolkata, the situation at RG Kar Hospital escalated when a mob attacked the facility. Witnesses reported that during this chaos, police were mute spectators and some of them hid in the bathrooms, telling the doctors that they were responsible for their own protection. Post the violence, which some speculate was intended to obliterate evidence, Mamata Banerjee blamed the Left and ‘Ram’ for the mob violence at RG Kar.

Prior to these events, the Commissioner of Kolkata Police had placed the blame on ‘social media’ for eroding public trust in the police force, yet claimed that the police had exhausted all efforts to ensure justice for the RG Kar victim.

As criticisms continued to mount against the TMC government, Mamata Banerjee, and the police, the Kolkata Police began issuing threats of legal actions against those reporting on the case, in an apparent attempt to stifle dissent.

In a related development, the Kolkata Police had taken to Twitter to address 4 questions posed by a netizen regarding their investigation and handling of the case. Interestingly, while they provided answers to the first two questions, they conspicuously refused to respond to questions 3 and 4 – which were why Sandip Ghosh was reinstated by the state and why the Kolkata Police allowed renovation work to begin at the RG Kar Hospital while the rape and murder case was still under active investigation.

It is pertinent to note that Dr. Sandip Ghosh resigned from the post of principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital amid massive protests over the rape and murder. But he was immediately appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH) on the same day. The Calcutta High Court took a stern stance on this appointment, ordering him to submit his resignation and go on leave, citing allegations that Dr. Sandip Ghosh has close ties with the TMC.

Gym trainer, close to TMC councillor, part of the mob that vandalized RG Kar Hospital: Here is what he said on camera

In the aftermath of the chaos that engulfed the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, a revealing detail emerged about one of the participants in the mob. A gym trainer, identified as Soumik Sen, turned out to be closely connected to Trinamool Congress councillor Raju Sen Sharma. Speaking to TV9 Bangla, Sen confessed to his involvement in the vandalism that struck the healthcare facility without any direct provocation.

Explaining his actions, Sen recounted, “I had gone to a public meeting and found a mob gathering outside the hospital. On seeing that, I joined hands with the attackers and carried out vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.” He admitted to wrongdoing on camera: “I had gone to a protest rally. Later, I also engaged in vandalism along with others. I have committed a mistake,” he declared.

Sen further disclosed that his acquaintances, who he regularly met at the gym, were also part of the mob. He was captured in social media videos using a rod to smash furniture in the emergency ward of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In his defense, Sen claimed to have gotten emotionally carried away after witnessing other vandals in action.

Sen, a resident of the Sinthi suburb in Kolkata, surrendered to the authorities on Friday, the 16th of August, signaling a potentially significant development in the investigation of the incident at RG Kar Hospital.

Mob attack on RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

On the night of Thursday, the 15th of August, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata experienced a severe incident when approximately 50 men stormed the facility. These individuals, described as goons, launched an assault on doctors who were protesting and demanding justice for the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor.

Footage that has since emerged on social media depicts a disturbing scene: the mob vandalizing the hospital, damaging police vehicles, and physically assaulting the doctors present. They were also seen engaging in stone-pelting during the attack.

Reports indicate that the mob initially gathered outside before abruptly rushing into the hospital premises. Once inside, they forcefully entered the emergency ward, wreaking havoc by breaking furniture and destroying stocks of medicine.

The protesting doctors have stated that the chaos orchestrated by these attackers persisted for approximately an hour. Amid these tumultuous events, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal pointed fingers at online media outlets and social media accounts, accusing them of fueling the unprovoked attack by the mob.

The rape and murder of a 32-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital

A devastating and tragic event occurred at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, involving a 32-year-old trainee doctor who was subjected to extreme brutality before her death. The postmortem report revealed horrifying details: she had been strangled, and there were signs of "perverted sexuality" and "genital torture," leading to severe injuries in her private parts.

The four-page autopsy report noted that her thyroid cartilage was shattered. A source disclosed that the attack likely took place on the 9th of August, sometime between 3 and 5 am. Further examination showed that her lips, fingers, left leg, and abdomen bore multiple injuries.

The brutality extended further as, according to sources, her head was slammed against a wall or the floor, causing severe injuries. Her mouth and nose were squeezed shut to prevent her from shouting. The assailant also physically assaulted her as she tried to defend herself and resist. The culmination of this violent act was rape and murder. The autopsy findings indicated that the girl’s hands and face had cuts on them, and shards of glass from her broken spectacles entered her eyes following an intense blow.

The initial postmortem findings explicitly ruled out suicide, confirming that the young doctor had been sexually assaulted prior to her murder. Confirmation of sexual assault came later in the autopsy report. In connection with this heinous crime, a civic volunteer named Sanjoy Roy was arrested and has reportedly confessed to his crime. The gravity of the case prompted its transfer to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court.