Banerjee on Monday met the family of the doctor, who was raped and murdered last week at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
After the nearly hour-long meeting, the CM told reporters: “We are trying our best to solve the case. I don’t know how this type of incident can happen at a hospital. Police are giving utmost importance to the investigation. If there are more accused, and all are not arrested by Sunday, we will hand over the case to the CBI – even though their success rate is low.”
Meanwhile, the principal of the medical college, Sandip Ghosh, resigned from his post on Monday. His resignation was one of the demands of protesting resident doctors from across West Bengal, who on Sunday night also called for a fast-track judicial inquiry into the case, proper compensation to the victim’s family, and an apology from the Kolkata police, among other demands.
Scaling up the protest, the doctors also announced they would suspend emergency services from Monday onwards – a move that could paralyse state-run hospitals.
After his resignation, Ghosh said, “I am being defamed on social media. Some people are spreading false accusations against me. Students are being provoked to seek my removal. The deceased doctor was like my child, and I want the guilty to be punished. As a parent, I am resigning.”
The 31-year-old junior doctor was found dead at a seminar hall in the hospital on Friday morning. Police arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the case.
Following her meeting with the doctor’s family, the Chief Minister said Monday that she would seek the death penalty for the perpetrators.
“We ordered police to identify the culprits, whoever they are. They will be tried in a fast-track court, and we will demand the death penalty for them. Police will be in constant touch with the family,” she said.
She also mentioned the action already taken by the government, which on Sunday removed hospital superintendent Sanjay Vashisth. Kolkata Police has also removed the ACP-rank officer who was in charge of the area concerned.
During her meeting with the family, the CM was accompanied by Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.
After the meeting, Goyal said, “All those who were near the PO (place of occurrence of the crime) and have a connection or involvement are being summoned. We have already started a helpline number. Doctors can anonymously call to tell us if they suspect someone and why. They can come and talk to us physically too.”
He said police would stay in constant touch and share information regarding the progress of the investigation with the family.
“We are certain that in the next four-five days, if there are more culprits, we will be able to arrest them. If even after that, the family is not satisfied (with the probe), then whatever Madam (the Chief Minister) has said will happen,” he said, referring to Banerjee’s remarks that the case would be handed over to the CBI if it was not solved by police.
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