Page 5 - Doctors Protests

Kolkata rape case: Doctors demand police resignation, transparency in probe

RG Kar Rape-Murder Case: Junior doctors across India are demanding government accountability and an impartial, transparent probe into the rape and murder case of trainee doctor in Kolkata

Mamata invites junior doctors for negotiation meeting 'fifth & final' time

The latest invite by West Bengal's chief secretary follows two previous failed attempts at negotiation between Mamata Banerjee and doctors, held at Nabanna (the state secretariat) and CM's residence

RG Kar ex-principal gave 'deceptive' answers during polygraph: CBI

R G Kar Medical College's former principal Sandip Ghosh was found to be "deceptive" while answering important questions on the rape and murder of a trainee woman postgraduate doctor during his polygraph test and layered voice analysis, officials said. The CBI, probing the case, arrested Ghosh on September 2 in connection with financial irregularities at the hospital. The federal probe agency later added charges of evidence tampering against him. During the investigation, Ghosh was subjected to layered voice analysis and polygraph test. According to a report from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, his version has been found to be "deceptive on certain important issues" relating to this case, officials in the know of the developments said. Information revealed during the polygraph test may not be used as evidence during the trial but the agency may gather corroborative evidence which could be used in court, they said. A polygraph test can help in assessing ...

RG Kar issue: Agitating junior doctors continue cease work, demand justice

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Monday continued with their cease work, stating that they wouldremain steadfast in their resolve to pursue justice for the medic raped and murdered at the Kar hospital. The doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the cease work for the 36th day and vowed to continue it till their demands - the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior state health officials are met. "We will continue our cease work till our demands are met. The state government is not serious about resolving the crisis," an agitating junior medic said.. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, but the proposed meeting fell through, with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours at the gates of the CM

Bengal's healthcare crisis reveals deeper issues in the political system

It reveals more than dysfunction; it unveils a clash of ideologies

Protest breaks outside CBI office as arrested cop taken for medical exam

Several people demonstrated outside the CBI office here at CGO Complex on Sunday morning when its sleuths were taking Abhijit Mondal, the Tala Police Station officer-in-charge who was arrested in the RG Kar hospital medic's rape-murder case, for a customary medical examination. The agitators gathered outside the CGO Complex, carrying placards and posters, and shouted slogans demanding justice for the woman doctor and criticising the police for its handling of the investigation before the CBI took over the case. Mondal, who was arrested on Saturday evening in connection with the central agency's probe into the RG Kar hospital incident, will be produced before the Sealdah court on Sunday. Sleuths of the CBI were seen jostling with the protesters while departing the CGO Complex with Mondal. Mondal has been arrested for allegedly tampering evidence, delay in registering the FIR among other charges, an official said. The body of the postgraduate woman doctor was recovered in the semina

Junior docs continue sit-in outside health department office amid rain

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Sunday said they remain steadfast in their resolve to pursue justice for the medic raped and murdered at the RG Kar hospital, a day after another attempt to resolve the impasse with the state government fell through. Amid persistent rain, the protesting doctors continued their sit-in outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, for the sixth consecutive day. "We are steadfast in our resolve to seek justice for our sister, no matter the adversity. We have spent nights on the streets in harsh conditions and inclement weather despite some of us not feeling well," an agitating junior medic said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, but the proposed meeting fell through, with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours a

Medic rape-murder: SHO brought to special Crime Branch after medical test

Meanwhile, junior doctors continue their protest for the fifth consecutive night at Swasthya Bhawan, in the Salt Lake area of West Bengal's Kolkata

Asked to leave unceremoniously, seems govt not serious: Agitating docs

The proposed talks to resolve the impasse between agitating junior doctors and the West Bengal government over the RG Kar issue fell through on Saturday after protestors, who had agreed to join the meeting based on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal despite relenting on their live-streaming demand, were "unceremoniously" asked to leave the venue. An agitating doctor, speaking to reporters before leaving, said they had agreed to attend the meeting without live-streaming or video recording, as requested by Banerjee. "When we came here, we had demanded video recording or live-streaming of the talks. We were not allowed. Then the chief minister came out and appealed to us to join the talks, promising that we would receive the minutes of the meeting. We discussed among ourselves and agreed to join the meeting without live-streaming or video recording," the doctor said. "When we conveyed this to Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya, we were told to leave the venue ...

News updates: CBI arrests former RG Kar principal,a Kolkata police SHO in connection with the case

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CBI adds rape-murder charge against RG Kar ex-principal, arrests policeman

The CBI on Saturday added rape and murder charge against former RG Kar hospital principal Sandip Ghosh, an agency official said. An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Ghosh is currently in judicial custody in a corruption case. A policeman was also arrested in the rape and murder case, the official said.

RG Kar victim's mother asks CM to be forthright in comments on action taken

The mother of the rape-murder victim of RG Medical College and Hospital on Saturday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be forthright in her comments about action against culprits. Speaking to reporters at her residence on the northern fringes of Kolkata, the victim's mother, however, expressed hope that the discussions between the CM and the agitating doctors would yield results. "Instead of merely saying that whoever is found guilty would be punished, she should have been more categorical and direct. Considering the destruction of evidence at the crime scene, and the arrest of only one person, we were expecting the CM to be more forthright," she said. However, she said that any initiative to resolve the deadlock caused by the doctor's 'cease work' at hospitals over the last one month following the incident, was welcome but she also demanded the arrest of all the perpetrators and officials behind the attempted "cover up". "I wish the state government does n

RG Kar impasse: Agitating medics to attend meeting at CM Mamata's residence

The agitating doctors on Saturday evening confirmed they will attend a meeting at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse. Responding to the mail by West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the agitating doctors said they would attend the meeting and place their demands before the chief minister. We would attend the meeting with our representatives. We will place our five demands. We are going to the discussions with an open mind, but no one should be under the illusion that we will compromise on our demands, an agitating doctor said. The West Bengal government invited agitating junior doctors to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at 6 pm on Saturday. In an email, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant emphasised that 15 representatives of the junior doctors were invited to the meeting. The development took place hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan'

RG Kar protest: Medics send mail to govt, wish to hold talks with CM

Agitating junior doctors on Saturday sent a mail to the West Bengal government expressing their wish to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar impasse. The mail was sent hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the health department headquarters. "We are willing to hold a meeting with the chief minister anywhere and anytime to resolve the impasse. We welcome her visit to us this afternoon. This is a very positive move. We have sent a mail to the state government," one of the agitating doctors said. He, however, did not clarify whether they are still sticking to their earlier demand for "live streaming " the entire meeting. But, he said, "We want transparency.

WB people offer food to medics, thousands treated free at 'Abhaya' clinic

Forty-year-old Arpan Maity, a practising physician and an alumnus of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, was busy collecting food items, clothes, raincoats, umbrellas and other materials at a makeshift counter near the state health department headquarters where thousands of medics have been staging a sit-in for the last five days. From cots, bed sheets and raincoats to large umbrellas and food packets, the agitators are flooded with items from common people, Maity told PTI at the agitation site. "Till 2 pm on Saturday, 3,000 food packets have been served for free to people, not only to the protestors but also to local hawkers, rickshaw-pullers, autorickshaw drivers, journalists and other those who have come to the site to express solidarity with the movement," he said. Prajakta Sikdar, another volunteer who is dividing her time between raising slogans and manning one of the four counters at the protest site, said that till 1.30 pm on Saturday, she had distributed around 600 ...

Agitating doctors write to President Murmu, PM Modi over RG Kar impasse

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal have written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting their intervention in the RG Kar hospital impasse. Copies of the four-page letter written by the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front were also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Health Minister J P Nadda. A post-graduate trainee was raped and murdered in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Junior doctors have been on a 'cease work' since then. "We humbly place the issues before your esteemed excellency, as the head of state, so that our unfortunate colleague who has been the victim of the most despicable crime shall receive justice, and so that we, the healthcare professionals under the West Bengal Health department, may be able to discharge our duties to the public without fear and apprehension. "Your intervention in these trying times will act as a beacon of light to us all, showing us the way ahead out of the darkness t

Kolkata protest: TMC MP labels protesting medics as 'unfit to be doctors'

The state's medical community has been on strike since August 9, seeking justice for a junior doctor who was raped and murdered last month at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital

'You will face same fate as RG Kar medic': Patient's son warns Kolkata doc

The son of a patient admitted to a private medical establishment in Kolkata allegedly threatened a doctor there that she would end up with the same fate as the medic of the RG Kar hospital, police said on Thursday. The police started an investigation following a complaint was lodged in this regard. An on-duty junior doctor of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was raped and murdered inside the facility on August 9. A 58-year-old female patient was admitted to the private hospital on Monday with complaints of shortness of breath and altered mental status, a term used to describe various disorders of mental functioning. "The patient's son and his friends have been abusing the hospital staff. They even threatened a doctor inside the ICU last night that her condition would be like that of the RG Kar hospital doctor," an official of the private facility said. The hospital is exercising restraint considering the critical condition of the patient, he said.

Doctors blame WB govt after talks fail, say never sought CM's resignation

The agitating junior doctors on Thursday blamed the West Bengal administration for its rigidness in not allowing live streaming of the meeting to resolve the RG Kar stalemate and asserted that they never sought the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as offered by her. Dubbing Banerjee's remarks blaming the medics for the impasse as unfortunate, the doctors said their 'cease work' and agitation would continue until their demands are met. The chief minister's remarks are unfortunate. We wanted the talks to take place. However, the state administration was adamant about not allowing live streaming of the meeting. Our demands are justified. We wanted live streaming for the transparency of the meeting, one of the agitating doctors told reporters. The agitators refused to hold talks with the West Bengal government unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting was met. The talks were scheduled for 5 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as demanded by t

Ready to resign for sake of people, says Mamata amid stand-off with doctors

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday offered to resign "for the sake of people" and said she also want justice for the murdered RG Kar hospital doctor. "I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today. They (junior doctors) came to Nabanna but did not sit for the meeting. I request them to go back to work," Banerjee told a press conference. "I am ready to resign for the sake of the people as, despite my best intentions and efforts in the last three days, the medics declined to hold talks," the chief minister said.