On Friday, the Calcutta High Court scrutinized the role of the Kolkata Police in the aftermath of the recent vandalism at R G Kar Medical College & Hospital.
The Division Bench, led by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, expressed concerns during a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the incident.
Chief Justice Sivagnanam raised pointed questions about the police’s failure to prevent the destruction despite their usual vigilance.
“It is perplexing how the police, who monitor even small gatherings closely, were unaware of a crowd of approximately 7,000 individuals,” he remarked.
The Chief Justice also questioned whether the state administration had considered enforcing Section 144 in light of the large-scale protest.
“This was a significant event with medical professionals protesting. How did the administration fail to protect its own personnel? This represents a clear breakdown in state governance,” he added.
During the hearing, calls arose for deploying Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) at R G Kar Medical College, as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts a court-monitored inquiry into the rape and murder of a female doctor on the hospital premises last week.
In a related development, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of R G Kar, approached the court requesting police protection.
The court directed Dr. Ghosh’s counsel to file a formal petition and advised him to remain at home for his safety.
“You need not worry. Stay peacefully at home; otherwise, we will consider deploying CAPF,” Chief Justice Sivagnanam said.
The same Division Bench had previously prohibited Dr. Ghosh from being appointed as a principal at any medical college in the state until further notice.
Additionally, the court granted the CBI full authority to inspect R G Kar Medical College and requested a progress report on their investigation.
The CBI is likely to present their findings during the court’s next hearing scheduled for the following week.
Also Read: 19 Arrested In R G Kar Hospital Vandalism; Public Urged To Assist In Identifying Suspects
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