Reveal whether one or more involved in R.G. Kar case: Junior docs to CBI

West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF) on Tuesday, 1 October, said that it was high time that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed whether the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital was the handiwork of one or more were involved with Sanjay Roy.

The civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, was arrested a day after the body of the doctor was found in the R.G. Kar seminar hall on 9 August.

The forum, an umbrella body of the junior doctors, who have resumed their full cease-work agitation throughout the state from Tuesday in support of their demands on the issue, has claimed that as long as it is not clear whether there were one or more culprits, there will not be the basic clarity in the investigation.

“There are two aspects of our demands on ensuring the safety and security of the doctors within the premises of the medical colleges and hospitals. The first aspect is definite measures to strengthen the safety and security measures within the hospital premises. The second aspect is clarity on whether just one person was involved in the rape and murder or whether there were partners in the crime. As long as the second factor is clear, how can the junior doctors feel secure at their respective workplaces?” questioned a WBJDF representative.

According to the WBJDF representatives, since the beginning, they had been claiming that there is a strong likelihood of multiple persons being involved in the macabre crime. “CBI’s investigating officials should now make it clear whether our assumptions on this count are correct or not,” the WBJDF representative said.

On Tuesday morning WBJDF announced that their full cease-work agitation will continue unless their 10-point demands are fulfilled.

Their demands included a protracted judicial process to ensure justice for the rape and murder victim, immediate removal of the state health secretary, and introduction of a centralised referral system and digital bed vacancy monitor.

The other demands include task forces based on each college, with elected representation of junior doctors, increased police protection in hospitals, filling up of vacant posts of doctors, nursing staff and health workers and setting up of inquiry committees to be established in every medical college to investigate those involved in threat syndicates and punish them. An inquiry committee must also be formed at the state level.

The last two demands include immediate elections for student councils in every medical college and immediate enquiry into rampant corruption and lawlessness inside the West Bengal Medical Council and West Bengal Health Recruitment Board.