Kolkata doctor rape-murder: 9 arrested for vandalism at hospital
Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday night. The incident occurred as statewide protest themed "women, reclaim the night," demanding justice for a trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at the same hospital were taking place. Police claimed a group of about 40-50 people, dressed as protesters, invaded the hospital facilities late on Wednesday night and vandalised property.
Protest turns violent; 15 police personnel injured
A senior police officer who responded to an SOS call said he has never seen anything like this in his 28 years of service. "The mob was tearing wires to snap the electricity with their bare hands, they had rods and swords and came charging toward the police," he told ThePrint. Vehicles were attacked, public property was damaged, and the police had to resort to lathicharge and teargas shells to contain the situation. Fifteen officers were also injured.
Police release photos of suspected vandals
On Thursday morning, the police released photos of individuals suspected to be part of the mob that vandalized the hospital. The photos were shared on social media with the faces of the suspects circled. However, a doctor, Anubhav Mondal, who is participating in the protests outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, claimed he was among those circled in the photographs circulated by Kolkata Police.
'Our protests will continue and get bigger'
"Our protests will continue and get bigger. Whoever thinks that can instill fear in us will not succeed, we want justice at any cost. Our most important demand is a neutral investigation through a court-monitored process, and justice," Mondal told NDTV. The trainee doctor was found dead on the morning of August 9, and the police later confirmed that she was raped and murdered while on duty. Her autopsy revealed horrific details of the injuries she sustained.
Widespread protests after doctor's rape and murder
A civic volunteer, who frequented the hospital, was arrested on August 10. But the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court on August 13. The case took a new turn on Wednesday, with the victim's parents alleging that their daughter may have been gangraped. They informed the court that postmortem report showed the presence of 150 mg semen in the hymen, which they claim indicated the involvement of more than one individual.
