Calcutta High Court Slams Bengal Govt Over Vandalism at RG Kar Medical College

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday addressed the vandalism and mob attacks at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata during the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest on the eve of Independence Day. The court criticised the West Bengal government for what it described as an “absolute failure of state machinery” in managing the situation.

The Chief Justice, expressing concern over the state of law and order, remarked on the inability of the city police to protect even themselves, questioning how medical professionals could work without fear in such an environment. The court suggested the possibility of shutting down the hospital and transferring patients elsewhere.

The case was brought to the court’s attention following emails received about the incident. During the hearing, the Chief Justice criticised the state for not taking adequate preventive measures, questioning why Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was not enforced to control the situation. “7,000 people can’t come walking,” the Chief Justice noted, highlighting the failure in crowd control.

The High Court highlighted the damaging impact of such incidents on the morale and confidence of doctors and medical staff, stressing the need for the state government to ensure a safe working environment for healthcare professionals. The court called for immediate and effective measures to prevent future occurrences and scheduled the next hearing for Wednesday.

Additionally, the court instructed the police to inform the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) about the sequence of events leading to the incident, given the ongoing probe into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The court questioned the state’s actions regarding renovations at the crime scene, demanding an affidavit and photographs to confirm the site remains untouched.

So far, 19 people have been arrested for their involvement in the vandalism. The court also requested an interim report from the CBI on the ongoing investigation into the trainee doctor’s case.