Kolkata: Junior doctors march seeking resignation of police commissioner

Junior doctors of different medical colleges on Monday took out a rally to Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar, demanding the resignation of police commissioner Vineet Goyal, accusing him of inaction in stopping vandalism at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on 14 August.

Meanwhile, welcoming the arrest of former R.G. Kar principal Sandeep Ghosh by the CBI on Monday as a step in the right direction, protesting junior doctors at R.G. Kar said there was no question of ending their agitation as justice for the gruesome murder of their colleague is still pending.

Doctors participating in the march were stopped by guardrails put up by the police on B.B. Ganguly Street leading to Lalbazar, but asserted that their rally was peaceful and representatives wanted to meet the police commissioner.

They, however, demanded that the rally be allowed to move further ahead towards the police headquarters, maintaining that it was stopped at a distance from Lalbazar. The agitating junior doctors then sat on the street, shouting slogans.

The protesters carried a replica of a spine and red roses, asserting that these were to emphasise the duty of the police force to protect citizens. They were also seen carrying the national flag and placards with slogans seeking justice and protection for all, including doctors.

Some placards displayed the photo of Goyal with texts calling for his resignation. An effigy of the police commissioner was also burnt by the protesters.

The agitating doctors also raised slogans seeking exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital.

The medics alleged inadequate steps by the police during its four-day probe into the 9 August alleged rape-murder of the 31-year-old doctor, before the investigation was handed over to the CBI by Calcutta High Court.

A large number of police personnel were deployed in the area, and guardrails tied with chains and padlocks put up on B.B. Ganguly Street to stop the rally from reaching the police headquarters.

With agency inputs