Vandalism at RG Kar Hospital: Calcutta HC raises serious questions on police role

The Calcutta High Court on Friday raised questions on the role of Kolkata Police in relation to the ransacking of the emergency department of state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya made this observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed on the vandalism incident.

"What is happening? The police keep a close watch on the situation even if there is a gathering of 100 people. Now in this case how is it possible that the detectives did have any information about the gathering of about 7000 individuals? This is simply unbelievable," the Chief Justice observed.

The Chief Justice also questioned the counsel of the state government on whether the administration considered the necessity for imposing Section 144 in the area.

"There was such a major event where the representatives of the medical fraternity were protesting. What is the state government doing? The police could not protect their men. This is a total failure of the state administration," the Chief Justice observed.

During the hearing there was a demand for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) within the RG Kar premises considering that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a courtmonitored probe in the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor in the hospital premises last week.

On Friday, the controversial former RG Kar principal Dr Sandip Ghosh approached the Calcutta High Court seeking police protection.

Directing the counsel of Dr Ghosh to file a proper petition in the matter, the court advised him to stay at home.

"You need not worry. You stay peacefully at home. Otherwise the court will direct deployment of CAPF there," the Chief Justice observed.

Incidentally, the same Division Bench earlier this week has barred the appointment of Dr Ghosh as the principal of any medical college in the state till further orders.

On Friday, the Division Bench gave full authority to the CBI to visit RG Kar and conduct a detailed inspection there.

The CBI will submit a progress report on the investigation in the matter to the court on the day of the hearing to be held next week.

(With inputs from IANS)