RG Kar rape-murder case: ‘Not sheltering anyone’, says Kolkata police commissioner; calls rumours baseless

NEW DELHI : Kolkata police commissioner Vinit Goyal, during a meeting held on Sunday evening said that all the rumours, including the one alleging that his force was trying to shield some people in the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, were baseless. The meeting was attended by senior officials, joint and deputy commissioners of Kolkata Police.

“Several types of rumours are making the rounds. (That) multiple people are involved; someone is being sheltered; three persons’ semen has been found — all types of stories are floating. These are all rumours, we have told them (medicos),” Goyal said.

“This is our appeal to the students. If they have any information about any person’s involvement, we will absolutely look at it from all perspectives. We have nothing to hide,” he said.

The body of a woman post-graduate trainee who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the hospital, was found on Friday morning. According to her colleagues, she had gone to the hall to rest after her dinner. The rape and murder took place between 3 am and 6 am. A civic volunteer was arrested on Saturday.

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RG Kar junior doctors’ demand

Several junior doctors demanded to see the autopsy report and CCTV footage in the ongoing investigation. Goyal told reporters, “The report has been shared with the family.” On the CCTV footage, he said: “We can’t go against the Supreme Court order.”

“We have addressed all the queries (of the junior doctors). We feel they are satisfied. If they have any doubts, they can directly approach us anytime. This is not just applicable (to) this institute, but also (to) any other college.” said Goyal.

According to a Telegraph report, one of the junior doctors said that the Kolkata police commissioner had promised to show them the autopsy report and the CCTV footage. “But it can’t be shared with us, the commissioner said,” the report quoted the junior doctor as saying.

A senior official added: “They (junior doctors) asked us a lot of questions about the investigation. We told them we were carrying out a transparent investigation and there was no question of anyone being shielded”.

However, junior doctors of the RG Kar medical hospital continued with their protests and ceased work until their demands were met.

Also read Woman PGT Doctor Murder: Junior doctors hold protest in state-run hospitals at Kolkata

RG Kar Hospital: Additional forces at premises

After protesters at the RG Kar Medical Hospital clashed with police, the West Bengal government deployed additional forces at the hospital premises to maintain law and order.

According to sources, Chandan Guha, the north division assistant commissioner in charge of the hospital’s security, has been shifted after the medical students demanded so.

A senior health department official said that the vice president of RG Kar medical hospital, Sanjay Vashisht, has also been removed. New professor Bulbul Mukhopadhyay has been appointed in his place.

As per reports, names of several junior doctors have been doing the rounds on social media with the allegation that they went “missing” since the case was reported. Police said all these were baseless rumours.