Page 8 - Doctors Protests

35% of doctors, mostly women, feel unsafe at night shifts, says IMA survey

The survey revealed that about one-third of doctors, including a higher percentage of women, felt unsafe, with 24.1 per cent feeling 'unsafe' and 11.4 per cent feeling 'very unsafe'

Audio clips from RG Kar hospital to victim's parents spark controversy

Three purported audio recordings of phone calls, allegedly made by RG Kar Medical College authorities on August 9 morning to the parents of the rape-murder victim asking them to report to the hospital, hit the public domain on Thursday and sparked a fresh controversy over "insensitivity" and "disinformation" of the institute's management in breaking bad news. The changes in statements on the status of the victim made by an official in those phone calls, whose authenticity PTI has not individually verified, raise questions on whether the hospital was initially trying to cover up the ghastly crime. The caller, a woman who identified herself as the assistant superintendent of the hospital, reportedly dialed the parents of the victim from the same number thrice within a span of around 30 minutes asking their urgent presence at the facility. "I am calling from RG Kar hospital. Can you come over immediately?" the caller could be heard telling the victim's father when he picked his phone t

CM Mamata debunks allegations of 'threat' to agitating junior doctors

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that she did not threaten junior doctors at state-run hospitals, who have been continuing ceasework for 21 days now to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic. Banerjee said that some people accused her of threatening the agitating junior doctors, which is "completely false". "Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false," she said on X. Addressing a rally organised by the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee had on Wednesday urged the agitating junior doctors of Bengal to urgently consider returning to duty and said she doesn't want to lodge FIRs against the striking doctors in consideration of their future careers. Agitating doctors interpreted th

IMA suspends former RG Kar Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh's membership

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday suspended the membership of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Dr Sandip Ghosh, amid a CBI probe into the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at the Kolkata-based institute earlier this month. The decision to suspend the IMA membership of Ghosh, who is the vice president of the association's Kolkata branch, was taken by its disciplinary committee. In an order, the Indian Medical Association said the committee constituted by IMA national president Dr R V Asokan on Wednesday suo-motu considered the rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The IMA general secretary along with Asokan had met the victim's parents at their home, it said. "They had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner befitting the ...

Assam CM Himanta hits out at Mamata Banerjee over 'provocative' speech

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hit out at his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday for allegedly threatening the northeastern state with unrest. He claimed that Banerjee was trying to provoke the public to hide her own failures. Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Don't show your anger to us, Sarma wrote on X, sharing a 46-second video clip of a speech by the West Bengal CM. In the clip, Banerjee is seen stressing that though Bangladesh and her state share the same language and culture, both are two different countries with West Bengal being part of India. Alleging that Modi's party is trying to fuel the situation in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, If Bengal is set on fire, Assam, northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Delhi will also be affected. She was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the foundation day of her party's student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad. Don't even try to incite India with your politics

Protesters block rail lines, halt buses after Kolkata doctor's rape, murder

Thousands of doctors, many of them on strike since the Aug. 9 crime was discovered, marched in the state's capital of Kolkata, demanding justice for the victim and better workplace safety

'Where is justice?' Mamata questions CBI probe on Kolkata rape-murder case

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that the state government will call for an Assembly session and introduce a Bill demanding death penalty for rapists

Watch: Elderly man faces water cannons in Kolkata protest, video goes viral

Kolkata protests: The man gained prominence after several BJP leaders shared visuals of him standing firm against the water cannons deployed by the Kolkata Police

Police use force as BJP protests against students' arrest during rally

Police used teargas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters when they marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally on Tuesday. The rally was called for demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at state-run R G Kar Medical College. The police action began after BJP supporters attempted to break police barricades to enter Lal Bazaar. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who led the march, fell ill after being exposed to teargas and subsequently left the scene. Earlier a BJP procession led by Majumdar was stopped from advancing towards Lal Bazar. In response, Majumdar, along with local BJP leaders, sat in protest at the barricade around 4:30 PM, demanding that the police clarify their stance on the arrests and seeking unconditional release of the students arrested during the Naban

Kolkata medic rape-murder: CBI seeks polygraph test of city police ASI

The CBI has sought permission from a Kolkata court to conduct a polygraph test on city police assistant sub-inspector Anup Dutta who was said to be close to Sanjay Roy, the arrested accused in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar medical college, officials said Tuesday. The CBI is exploring if Dutta helped Roy in any cover up of the crime, they said. According to reports, Dutta was allegedly instrumental in extending various favours to Roy, they said. The central probe agency is trying to find out if Roy told Dutta about the crime and received any help, they said. They said the court would decide the application for a polygraph test after seeking Dutta's consent on the issue. The CBI completed polygraph tests on former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh on Tuesday, the third day of subjecting him to a series of Deception Detection Tests (DDT), they said. He underwent a Layered Voice Analysis test on Saturday, followed by a polygraph test on Monday. The tes

Junior doctors call for Kolkata rally tomorrow, to skip Nabanna march

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: The junior doctors forum, which has garnered significant public backing since the start of its campaign, urged continued support from the masses

SC-appointed task force on doctors' safety to hold first meeting on Tuesday

The Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, sources said. The 10-member task force was constituted by the apex court last week after it took suo moto cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital which sparked widespread protests including by healthcare staff, impacting medical services. The Supreme Court had said the cabinet secretary, home secretary, health secretary, National Medical Commission chairperson and the National Board of Examinations president shall be the ex-officio members of the task force. The members of the task force include Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General (Medical Services, Navy); Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, the Chairman and Managing Director of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad; Dr M Srinivas, the ...

Goa sets up task force committee for safety of medical professionals

Goa is the first state to announce the setting up of a task force committee dedicated to safety of medical professionals, minister Vishwajit Rane said on Monday. The announcement about the committee, which comes in the backdrop of the August 9 rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, was made earlier in the day. "Goa has become the first state to set up such a committee. In line with Supreme Court's guidelines, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of doctors at Goa Medical College (GMC). The task force will be chaired by GMC Dean Dr SM Bandekar," he said. "Its members will be Heads of Departments from Forensic Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pathology, Respiratory Medicine, Emergency and Trauma, Psychiatry, as well as the Director of Academics, the Hospital Matron, representatives from the Student Council, the Advisor to the Health Minister etc," Rane added. Apart from this, the demands of the Goa Association of Resident Doctors' (GARD), like enhancing ...

Kolkata medic death: Several Durga Puja committees reject govt's honorarium

As calls for justice for the RG Kar victim intensify, several Durga Puja committees in West Bengal have rejected the Rs 85,000 honorarium offered by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying they cannot accept help from the government when women have taken to the streets demanding security. Rina Das, president of Bhadrakali Bouthan Sangha in Hooghly, explained, "We have decided to boycott this grant this year to honour the sentiments of our members who are deeply upset over the brutal attack on the postgraduate trainee doctor at her workplace. We had received this grant for several years in the past." Prasenjit Bhattacharya from Uttarpara Shakti Sangha echoed similar sentiments, saying, "This is a symbolic protest. We will not accept the money until those involved in this heinous crime are apprehended and brought to justice." Other committees, including Lalgola Krishnapur Sanyasitala in Murshidabad and Bethuadahari Town Club in Nadia, have also notified local authorities of their decisi

CBI names RG Kar Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh in corruption FIR

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in the FIR the agency has filed in connection with its probe into the alleged financial irregularities at the institution during his tenure. The agency has slapped Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 420 IPC (cheating and dishonesty) and Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) which covers unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant. The cases read together account for cognisable offences and are non-bailable in nature, a senior Calcutta High Court lawyer said. Besides Ghosh, the CBI has also registered cases against one M/s Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jorehat, Banipur, Howrah, M/s Eshan Cafe of 4/1, H/1, JK Ghosh Road, Belgachhia, Kolkata and one M/s Khama Louha. The FIR was lodged on the basis of a written complaint lodged by Debal Kumar Ghosh, special secretary to the state health department. PTI

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CBI takes over probe into 'financial irregularities' at RG Kar College

The CBI on Saturday took over the case of alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata during the tenure of former principal Sandip Ghosh, officials said. The action came on the directions of the Calcutta High Court which transferred the probe to the agency from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT). The CBI collected necessary documents from the SIT on Saturday and proceeded to re-register the FIR, the official said. The high court had issued directives on a petition by former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Akhtar Ali, who requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the medical college during the tenure of Ghosh. The college has come into media glare following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor on the campus on August 9, they said. The high court had directed the CBI to submit a progress report on the investigation within three weeks. The

Doctor's rape-murder: Polygraph test on main accused, 6 others begins

The lie detection tests on the main accused and six others in the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital began on Saturday, officials said. The polygraph test on Sanjay Roy, the main accused, is being conducted in the prison where he is lodged, while the remaining six, including former principal Sandip Ghosh and four doctors who were on duty during the night of the incident and a civic volunteer, are undergoing the test at the agency's office in Kolkata, they said. Ghosh arrived at the CBI's office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake on Saturday morning for the ninth day consecutive day, and was then taken for the test, the officials said. Those undergoing the lie detection test include two first-year postgraduate trainees, as investigators allegedly found their fingerprints inside a seminar hall at the state-run medical facility where the medic's body was discovered, an official said. A team of polygraph specialists from the Central ..

Doctor rape-murder: Polygraph test on main accused, 6 others begins

The lie detection tests on the main accused and six others in the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital started on Saturday, officials said. The polygraph test on the main accused, Sanjay Roy, will be conducted in the prison, where he is lodged, while the remaining six, including former principal Sandip Ghosh and four doctors who were on duty during the night of the incident and a civil volunteer, will undergo test at the agency's office, the officials said. A team of polygraph specialists from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi have flown to Kolkata to conduct these tests, they said. The CBI told the Supreme Court on Thursday that there was an attempt to cover up the rape and killing of the post-graduate medic by the local police as the crime scene was altered by the time the federal agency took over the probe. The rape and killing of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the hospital has sparked ...

Healthcare svcs affected in Bengal as junior docs continue ceasework

Healthcare services were affected at state-run hospitals in West Bengal on Saturday as junior doctors continued their ceasework for the 16th consecutive day to protest the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Senior doctors were attending to patients at the emergency services at government hospitals. "Our protest will continue till justice is served to our sister. There cannot be any alternative to that," an agitating doctor at theKMCH told PTI. The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its appeal to the doctors protesting over the rape and killing of the medic to resume work and directed that no coercive action would be taken against them. The court said judges and doctors cannot strike since they deal with matters involving life and liberty. Apart from demanding justice for the woman medic, the junior doctors have been pressing for the removal of several people in theKMCH's administration. Bowing to their demand, the West Ben