'My daughter would be alive if Mamata...': Rape-murder victim's father
The father of the deceased trainee doctor from Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College has expressed his grief and frustration over the handling of his daughter's case. He stated that if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken action against former principal Sandeep Ghosh in 2021, his daughter might still be alive today. The victim was found dead inside a seminar hall at the hospital on August 9, with her autopsy report revealing sexual assault and torture.
Allegations against Ghosh
To recall, Ghosh is accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of colluding with a police officer to intentionally delay the filing of a murder FIR, attempting to misrepresent the murder as a suicide. Additionally, he faces allegations of corruption at the hospital, including the sale of unclaimed corpses. The victim's family claims that Ghosh made them wait for over three hours before showing them the body. The murder FIR was filed 14 hours after the crime was discovered.
Watch: The father's statement here
New police commissioner appointed amid ongoing protests
Separately, the victim's father expressed his faith in the Central Bureau of Investigation saying "Whoever is connected to this murder in some way or those who are involved in tampering with evidence, all are under investigation." On Monday—in response to the ongoing protests by junior doctors—Indian Police Services officer Manoj Kumar Verma was appointed as Kolkata's new Commissioner of Police. This came after meeting between Banerjee and the protesting doctors, who had demanded removal of former commissoner Vineet Goyal.
Junior doctors seek 2nd meeting with Mamata
On Wednesday, the doctors said they would continue their cease-work strike until their demands are met in a concrete way by the state government. They also sought another meeting with Chief Minister Banerjee to discuss the issue further. The announcements were made after a general body meeting held to determine the next steps after CM Banerjee claimed her government had accepted "99%" of the junior doctors' demands.
What are the remaining demands of doctors
Along with the removal of Goyal, the doctors demanded the removal of state health secretary NS Nigam, claiming the chief minister had assured them of Nigam's dismissal on Monday. The doctors expressed a desire to discuss the measures announced for improving the safety and security of medical staff in hospitals. They also sought details on how the state plans to utilize the promised ₹100 crore for enhancing doctors' safety in government-run hospitals.
