Agitating junior doctors wrote to the Kolkata Police Commissioner informing him about their decision to continue protests at Esplanade. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Agitating junior doctors on Wednesday (December 25, 2024) wrote to the Kolkata Police Commissioner informing him about their decision to continue protests at Esplanade in the city over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this year.
“We are writing to inform you that our sit-in demonstration near Dorina Crossing (Metro Channel) will continue for a few days beyond December 26, 2024 as indicated in our previous communication dated December 16, 2024. This demonstration will continue until our demands are met,” a communication by Joint Platform of Doctors to the Commissioner of Kolkata Police said.
The Calcutta High Court had allowed round-the-clock protests to the Joint Platform of Doctors only till December 26. With the permission by the High Court ending on Thursday, the development opens up a new area of confrontation between the protesting doctors and the police. The Kolkata Police has not clarified what will be its next course of action.
In the letter, the Joint Platform of Doctors also added that “despite the Hon’ble Court order, the police have not extended cooperation to our peaceful protest”.
“We hope that this situation will be rectified promptly to ensure the smooth continuation of our demonstration,” read the letter signed by Punyabrata Gun and Hiralal Konar, joint convenor of Joint Platform of Doctors.
The fresh wave of protests by the Joint Platform of Doctors was triggered after a city court granted bail to two accused — former principal of R.G. Kar Hospital and former officer in-charge of Tala police station — who were both arrested for tampering evidence in the rape-cum-murder case. The bail was granted earlier this month after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to file a charge sheet against the accused within 90 days of their arrest.
On Tuesday, several associations of doctors organised a procession to the CBI office at Salt Lake Central Government Officers (CGO) complex and raised questions on the tardy investigation by the agency in the rape and murder of the junior doctor.
Protesting doctors under the Joint Platform of Doctors said that the Central agency was promptly investigating the matter when they were on the streets protesting against the horrific crime two months ago. The doctors association said that they will step up the protests to occupy the streets till justice is delivered.
Not only doctors associations, but the parents of the 31-year-old deceased doctor had moved the Calcutta High Court on December 19 seeking a fresh investigation into the murder of their daughter stating that they lacked faith in the CBI.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on December 24 refused to interfere in the matter at the moment pointing out that the case is already with the Calcutta High Court Division Bench and the Supreme Court.
The body of a trainee doctor was recovered at a seminar room of R.G. Kar MCH on August 9 and the prime accused Sanjay Roy was arrested by Kolkata Police in a day. The CBI has filed a charge sheet against the prime accused in the rape and murder case on October 7. Roy, a civic police volunteer, has been charged him with rape and murder.
Published – December 25, 2024 10:23 pm IST