The vandalism took place when doctors were holding a midnight protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital. Facing criticism over the violence, the police have released 76 photos of people allegedly involved in the vandalism, and made 30 arrests.
The Indian Express spoke to the families of 15 people — 14 who have been arrested and one who is allegedly absconding.
Many of the men and women left home that night after telling their families that they were going to protest against the rape and murder – but ultimately became accused in the vandalism. Most also live within a five-kilometre radius of the hospital, and some had gone with their friends. They include:
Soumik Das, 24: About three kilometres from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Nagerbazar police station area, is the residence of Das, a gym instructor and a local TMC worker.
A photo and video released by the police purportedly show him using a baton to ransack parts of the emergency building. He has since been arrested.
“He has not been home since the incident. Police came and asked us to bring him to the station, but he was eventually arrested from elsewhere. He is repentant; he got swayed by emotion,” said his aunt, who did not wish to be identified.
“Ask the party whether he worked for them or not. Ask anyone here – they will tell you that he was a party (TMC) worker. He was not alone; other youths also went with him,” she said.
Just before his arrest, Das admitted to a Bengali news channel that he was at the site of the vandalism. “I have committed a mistake and I repent. We all went from Shyambazar… We are emotional… Many in my gym also went there,” Das, a B.Com graduate, told the channel.
Locals said he is known to Sukanta Sen Sharma, a local TMC leader and councillor of ward number 14. Sukanta, however, said, “I don’t know him. I don’t think he belongs to our party. Everyone is a TMC supporter or worker these days; some are friends, some are enemies.”
Jabbar Ansari, 40: In a photo released by the police, Jabbar is purportedly seen giving instructions to people inside the emergency building as the vandalism was underway. He has not been arrested so far.
His sister, Bacchiya Apa, said he has not returned home since that night. “We do not know where he is, but the police are calling every day,” she said. “I do not know what he has done. But it is not right to disturb us. My brothers are known TMC workers in the area, respected people.”
His elder daughter, aged 20, said, “I have seen the picture. He is a respected man. He must have been asking them (the miscreants) to leave the hospital.”
His elder brother too said they don’t know where he is.
Rishi Kant Mishra, 35: About half a kilometre from RG Kar is where Mishra, who was picked up by police on Friday night, lives. “They said he pelted stones. We don’t know. I went to the police station and they told me he had been arrested,” said Lakshman Mishra, his brother.
Mishra’s elder brother Srikant is a building materials supplier and a TMC worker, with neighbours saying the two are often seen at party events. Mishra, locals said, works in a godown.
Subhodip Kundu, 23: About half an hour from the hospital, in Muraripukur, are the homes of three friends who have been arrested. Among them is Subhodip alias Sunny, who is unemployed and was arrested on the afternoon of August 16. A photo purportedly shows him standing on a fallen guardrail near the hospital gate.
“He and two of his friends went there on the evening of August 14. He told me after he returned. He was capturing whatever was happening on his phone while standing on that guardrail,” claimed Dola Kundu, his mother.
“After police took him away, we went to the local TMC ward councillor, who refused to help us,” she said.
Soumyadip Mahish, 22: Mahish, who delivers food for an app-based firm, lives five minutes from Kundu’s residence. His father Gopal Mahish, too, claimed he had gone to the hospital “with his friends, to see the protests”.
“He is not involved in the vandalism. We asked the TMC councillor to help us but he refused. The families of all three boys from the neighbourhood went to him last night,” he said.
Sourav Dey, 20: The third youth to be arrested from the neighbourhood, Dey works in a pesticide manufacturing company. His family did not speak much, though his aunt, Basoya Dey, said he was arrested on Friday evening. “We believe he is innocent,” she said.
Paul Ghosh, 27: Ghosh, who runs a computer business, is a resident of Muktaram Babu Street, three kilometres from RG Kar. His family claims he was there to protests against the junior doctor’s rape and murder.
“He and his friends went to Shyambazar to protest. Many people did. He said it is his duty. At 11 am, he spoke to me on the phone and said he will come home after midnight,” claimed his father Jagabandhu Ghosh.
“On Friday afternoon, the police came and informed us that he had been arrested. The police should arrest vandals, not bystanders,” said his mother Krishna Ghosh.
Tusi Haldar, 19: Haldar, one of two women to have been arrested, lives a kilometre from the hospital. Her family said she is a student.
Photos purportedly show her inside the emergency building, with a bamboo in her hand.
“We all went to Shyambazar for the rally. Then there was commotion at RG Kar and somehow my daughter got caught in it. I don’t know anything else. Police came to our home this afternoon. My daughter had just had his lunch when they took her away,” claimed her mother Bishakha.
Asked about the photo, she reiterated that her daughter is innocent.
Ruma Das, 27: A resident of Baranagar, about five kilometres from RG Kar, Ruma was arrested from the spot. “She was supposed to go for a candlelight march near our home. We have no clue how she landed up in RG Kar. We spoke at 2 am and she said she was okay and would return soon,” said Toti Das, her mother.
“The next day, the police informed us that she had been arrested. We don’t know what to do. They have slapped such grave sections against her,” she said. Before leaving her job earlier this year, Ruma used to work in a private company.
Pradip Sen, 22: A resident of Ultadanga area, Sen is a driver, his family said. “He went out that day and got drunk. Then he and his friends went to RG Kar. I called him many times but he didn’t respond. At 3 am, he got back home and told me that the police had lathi charged them,” said his wife, Polly. She said he was arrested on August 15.
“If he has done such a thing, he should be punished. But he does not figure in the photos released by the police,” she said.
Raju Bag, 28: Bag, who is unemployed, lives four kilometres from the hospital. “He left home in the evening, like many others from the neighbourhood, to visit RG Kar for the protest. His picture was not released by the Kolkata police. I think this is a mistake. Where is the proof?” said Asha Bag, his mother, who works as a domestic help.
Debashish Mondol, 27: Mondol works as a delivery person for a local grocer. “He went out with boys from the neighbourhood after dinner. He told me he was going for the candle march, but did not return. The next day, a photo of him standing on a police barricade was released,” said Raju Mondol, his father.
“Police came on August 15 and I told them he was just a bystander. They did not listen. Later, we went to the police station and he surrendered,” said Raju.
Surojit Karmakar, 34: Surojit, an electrician, went to RG Kar with Debashish Mondol and Raju Bag. Locals claim the men were drunk.
“They all went to protest. Where is the proof that he committed a crime?,” said Pinky Karmakar, his wife.
Md Azlan Ul Haq, 19: The family of the college student, who lives in the vicinity of the hospital, claimed he went to check what the commotion was about. “At night, there were rallies and some commotion. My son went to see what was happening. In the morning, he didn’t return. We finally learnt from the court that he has been arrested,” said Sahina Haq, his mother. “He is not that kind of a boy. His career will be ruined.”
Tanvir Alam, 19: Alam, who used to be a driver but is currently unemployed, also lives in the vicinity of the hospital. “Like all boys in the neighbourhood, he went to RG Kar on hearing about the commotion. The next day we saw a photo released by the Kolkata police of him standing inside the emergency department,” said Mukhtar Ali, his uncle.
“We went to the police station to see him but were not allowed,” he said.
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