Kolkata Doctor Rape Case: 'Opposition Disturbing Bengal', Says TMC's Kunal; Centre To Form Panel To Ensure Security

• The former principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, today appeared before the CBI for questioning for the second consecutive day in connection with the rape and murder of a doctor.

• The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Saturday directed doctors to withdraw their strike and join duty in the state. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Raj Mohan Singh issued the direction during the hearing of a petition filed by Anshul Tiwari, a resident of Narsinghpur district, challenging the strike.

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday assured protesting doctors of constituting a committee to suggest all possible measures for their security.

• In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in view of the concerns expressed by FORDA, IMA and Resident Doctors’ Associations of Governmental Medical Colleges & Hospitals of Delhi.

The Indian Medical Association's (IMA’s) 24-hour nationwide strike began on Saturday. IMA announced withdrawal of non-emergency medical services starting at 6am on August 17 to protest the rape and murder of a resident doctor at a Kolkata hospital.

 The National Commission for Women(NCW) in its reports has said  there were no security guards present when the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata took place.

Doctors held a protest rally in Assam's Sivasagar yesterday.

Kolkata doctor rape and murder case: Doctors held candlelight vigil in Tamil Nadu's Chengalpattu last night.

Resident doctors at Rajkot Civil Hospital in Gujarat held protest against the rape and murder incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.

Resident Doctors' Association UCMS (University College of Medical Sciences) and GTBH (Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital) will continue their strike on Saturday. They will have hold a general body meeting at 9.30 am.

As part of the strike, OPD (Outpatient Department), elective services, laboratory and lab services will be shut down.

Junior doctors of ANMMCH (Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital) held a candle march, demanding justice for trainee doctor victim, in Bihar's Gaya yesterday.

Security has been beefed up at AIIMS-Patna following the rape and murder of a doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, an official said on Saturday.

AIIMS-Patna Executive Director and CEO doctor Gopal Krushna Pal told PTI that it has been decided to deploy more female security guards and install an additional 150 CCTV cameras on the campus, among other measures.

"Our campus already has a very effective security system in place. We have deployed sufficient numbers of security personnel, including women security guards, installed a large number of CCTV cameras at strategic locations, and made sufficient arrangements for lighting in isolated areas. But after the Kolkata incident, we have decided to make it more effective and fool-proof for our female doctors, students and patients," he said.

BJP MP Harsh Malhotra on Saturday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of doing politics over Kolkata doctor's rape and murder incident.

"It is extremely unfortunate that the West Bengal government is being insensitive towards the case, is lying, and is trying to cover up the case instead of addressing it. They tried to hush up the case by calling it suicide. The local police were not ready to investigate it initially and tried to divert it. Now when CBI is investigating the matter, Mamata Banerjee started protesting."

He added, "Who is she protesting against? The Home Minister of the state Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of the state Mamata Banerjee, or is she protesting against the Health Minister of the state Mamata Banerjee? This shows she is not serious about it and is only doing politics..."

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Because of the incident that happened in West Bengal, the safety of the medical staff is a matter of concern. It is not just about the medical fraternity of the doctors and nurses. This is a nationwide issue. It is a security and a societal issue. It is a matter of concern for everyone... The general public is also agitated."

Former Principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, arrived at the CBI office for questioning in the rape and murder case of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor in the hospital premises.

Resident doctors in Goa are holding protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Karnataka on Saturday joined the nationwide protest condemning the rape and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata.

Seeking justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and killed in a Kolkata hospital, a protest march is being taken out by the doctors in several parts of the southern state.

In Bengaluru, the agitation is taking place at the IMA office in Chamarajpet where over 1,000 doctors are participating.

The IMA Karnataka unit president Srinivasa S told PTI that its branches across Karnataka will remain shut and there will be no OPD services anywhere.

"All we want is justice for this young female doctor who was brutally raped and killed. What happened with her is totally unacceptable. We don't want any political involvement. Just like other professionals, doctors are also working in sensitive areas and so, we want a central law to safeguard doctors," he said.

Their other demands include - setting up safe zones and restrooms for doctors in hospitals who are working round the clock, there should be sufficient number of CCTV cameras installed inside every hopsital. PTI

Patient services affected at Siliguri District Hospital due to a 24-hour nationwide strike called by Indian Medical Association (IMA).

"I have come here for a check-up... Now, I have been told to come on Tuesday. We want hospitals to be operational soon so that we can get treatment," says one of the patients facing problems.

Sandip Ghosh former principal of RG Kar College Hospital on Saturday reached CBI office in Kolkata.

CBI team reaches RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata to conduct investigation on Saturday.

Junior doctors and students of SMS Medical College and Hospital protest against the rape-murder incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Rajasthan's Jaipur on Saturday.

BJP leader CR Kesavan on Saturday said, "People of West Bengal are in the ghastly grip of TMC's anarchy and mayhem. What is happening in 'Nir'Mamata's terror regime is that they have destroyed democracy and murdered justice. As we speak today, there is a nationwide strike and national outrage... Yesterday, High Court said there is a failure of state machinery after ordering the CBI probe..."

He added, "When CBI probe was underway, a mob attacked the hospitals, broke CCTVs, hurt patients right in front of police."

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday said, "The incident is very sad. The West Bengal government should take action...Doctors are protesting against the incident...The state government has failed..."

On rape and murder of woman resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Saturday said, "...Everyone in this country is outraged and all are demanding only one thing that there should be justice. But instead of giving justice, the agenda of the Trinamool Congress government has become that don't give justice, don't save the daughter, only save the rapist. TMC doesn't mean Trinamool Congress, it is 'Taliban Mujhe Chahiye'..."

RJD on Saturday accused BJP doing politics over the rape and murder of a doctor in West Bengal's Kolkata.

Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi said, “Such incidents are happening all over the world. This is not just a case in Kolkata, it happens in Delhi also. BJP is doing politics over this."

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has also said, “Doctors on strike should get justice. This is a heinous incident."

AIIMS doctors and faculty on Saturday held a protest rally in Delhi against Kolkata doctor rape and murder case.

Healthcare services were affected across Odisha on Saturday as doctors joined the nationwide protest, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a colleague at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

About 6,000 members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) joined the protest across the state, leading to the closure of outpatient departments, elective surgeries and laboratory services in both government and private hospitals.

The 24-hour protest will continue till 6 am on Sunday.

Besides seeking justice for their colleague, the agitating doctors were demanding central legislation that ensured the safety and security of healthcare workers and pledged to continue their stir till it was met. PTI

Workers of ABVP on Saturday burn effigy of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Lucknow in protest over alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical Hospital.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday assured protesting doctors of constituting a committee to suggest all possible measures for their security.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in view of the concerns expressed by FORDA, IMA and Resident Doctors’ Associations of Governmental Medical Colleges & Hospitals of Delhi.

The Ministry assured protesting doctors of constituting a Committee to suggest all such possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals.

"Representatives of all stakeholders including the State Governments will be invited to share their suggestions with the Committee. The Ministry requested the agitating doctors to resume their duties in the larger public interest and in view of the rising cases of Dengue and Malaria," it said.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Saturday directed doctors to withdraw their strike and join duty in the state.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Raj Mohan Singh issued the direction during the hearing of a petition filed by Anshul Tiwari, a resident of Narsinghpur district, challenging the strike.

The court has directed the doctors to withdraw their strike and join duty, said the petitioner’s lawyers senior advocate Sanjay Agrawal and advocate Anju Agrawal.

Further, the court has directed the doctors to submit their grievances in the court, they said.

The detailed order is awaited.

The HC had on Friday issued notices to the state government and others seeking their reply in 24 hours on the strike called by doctors on August 17 to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic at a Kolkata hospital and vandalisation of the health facility. PTI

The former principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, today appeared before the CBI for questioning for the second consecutive day in connection with the rape and murder of a doctor.

During his first round of questioning, the former principal was asked about his first reaction after getting the news of the doctor's death whom he instructed to inform the family and how and who contacted the police, the officer said.

Amid the outrageous protest over the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, the Durand Cup Group stage match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant, scheduled on August 18, at the Salt Lake Stadium stands cancelled due to potential security issues.

The decision has been taken as providing adequate security for the high-profile game could have been a challenge amid the widespread protests.

West Bengal Congress workers take out a rally against the incident of rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata.

The men on the front row of the protests were seen in their underwear and the banner they held read in Bengali, "ulongo proshashon er biruddhe ulongo protibaad" which in English meant, "naked protest against the naked administration" referring to the TMC-led state government who have been accused of hiding and protesting the culprits in the rape and murder case.

Commenting on the recent RG Kar Hospital incident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "Mamata Banerjee herself is a woman and understands the pain of a woman. She has taken action as per demand. The government has also decided to get the matter investigated by CBI or any other institution. But along with this, the people of the Bharatiya Janata Party should not do politics... BJP should not take political advantage from the incidents..."

Doctors and students are participating in a protest march, starting from Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to Shyam Bazar in the city.

Commenting on the brutal rape and murder of the doctor in Kolkata, BSP Chief Mayawati on Saturday said, "The entire country is worried and angry over the atrocity of rape-murder of a lady doctor in Bengal, yet the TMC government is trying to give it a religious and political colour in its defence, while the opposition is no less in this matter. In such a situation, it is important to worry about how to give strict punishment to the culprits and how to give justice to the victim's family."

Doctors at Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College continue their protest against the brutal rape and murder of the on-duty doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

"We have strongly condemned the rape and murder... Mamata Banerjee, our leader and the CM, has done her best. One accused was arrested within 12 hours, and she had announced that the case will be handed over to the CBI, if necessary. Now, the case is (being probed) by CBI, but the Left and BJP are using this unfortunate incident to disturb West Bengal," says TMC leader Kunal Ghosh