Page 38 - West Bengal

Mamata invites agitating doctors to resolve impasse over RG Kar issue

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday evening invited the agitating junior doctors for a meeting at the state secretariat to resolve the impasse over the RG Kar hospital issue. "Your small delegation (maximum 10 persons) may visit Nabanna' now to meet government representatives," an email sent by the state's Health Secretary N S Nigam to the protesting medics said. Meanwhile, West Bengal Finance Chandrima Bhattacharya said that the CM is waiting at her chamber for the delegation of junior doctors to arrive for the meeting. "The chief minister has been waiting at her chamber... We are yet to get any reply from them," Bhattacharya said. Speaking to reporters, one of the agitating junior doctors said receiving the mail from Nigam is an insult for us, as they have been seeking his resignation over the RG Kar hospital issue. "We did not get any mail from the state secretariat. We got the mail from the state health secretary, whose resignation we seek. This is an insult,

WB school jobs row: SC to hear pleas challenging HC verdict on Sept 24

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear on September 24 the pleas of the West Bengal government and others challenging a Calcutta High Court order that invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state government and aided schools. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said it may not be able to hear the batch of pleas, listed on Tuesday, due to the hearing of some other matters during the day. "We will list it on September 24," the CJI said. Earlier, the top court had said that it will hear the pleas on September 10 and granted last opportunity to the parties to file their responses to the petitions by August 16. The bench had also asked the nodal counsel -- Astha Sharma, who represents the state government, and Shalini Kaul, Partha Chatterjee and Shekhar Kumar-- to prepare a common compilation of the records in electronic form and ensure that the judgments cited by the parties were part of

'Protests won't stop': Bengal IMA defies SC order over RG Kar rape case

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case: The Indian Medical Association of West Bengal has defied the Supreme Court's order for protesting junior doctors to return to work

Kolkata rape-murder: Doctors want demands met before returning to work

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front said it would 'consider' the court's order only if its demands were tackled by the deadline

SC directs Bengal's protesting doctors to resume work by 5pm on Tuesday

The apex court also flagged the at least a 14-hour delay by Kolkata Police in registering an FIR in the rape and murder of the doctor

Doc rape-murder case: SC directs CBI to file fresh status report by Sept 17

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the CBI to submit a fresh report by September 17 on the probe in the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud perused the report filed in a sealed cover by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI. "A status report has been filed by CBI, it appears that investigation is in progress, we direct the CBI to file fresh status report...We don't want to guide the CBI on its investigation," the bench said. Mehta told the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that the probe agency has decided to send forensic samples to AIIMS for further investigation. The apex court also directed a senior officer of the West Bengal government's Home department and a senior CISF officer to ensure all three companies of the CISF, which are deputed for security at the RG Kar Hospital, are given accommodation. It also directed that all .

Doctor rape-murder: Lack of evidence affecting CBI probe, says official

Thirty days have passed after the body of a woman medic, raped and murdered, was recovered from state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital here, but investigators are still clueless about what led to the crime that has opened a can of worms. CBI detectives, who took up the probe into the case after the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation from the Kolkata Police on August 13, said that they were unable to join several dots due to lack of evidence from the crime scene, a senior official said. This, he said, has affected the investigation of the crime which came to light after the body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The police arrested Sanjoy Roy, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer, the next day in this connection. It was found during the investigation that former principal of the hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh ordered the demolition of a restroom and a toilet close to that seminar room on August 10. As a portion of the two areas

Deep depression over Bay of Bengal to bring heavy rain in region: Met

A depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression by Monday, bringing heavy rain in several districts in the southern part of West Bengal till September 12, the Met office said. The weather system is likely to cross Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Digha respectively by Monday night, it said on Sunday. Heavy rainfall is likely in the south Bengal districts of Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad and Birbhum districts till September 12. Light to moderate rainfall is also likely over Kolkata and adjoining Howrah and Hooghly districts, it said. The weather office advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal along Odisha-West Bengal coasts till September 11 as sea conditions will be rough to very rough with maximum wind speed of 50 to 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph.

RG Kar hospital incident: Victim's mother says all protesting her children

People from all walks of life - former students of several educational institutions, clay modellers, rickshaw pullers and junior doctors separately hit the streets of Kolkata on Sunday in continued protest over the rape and murder of a medic in a state-run hospital a month ago. Demanding the arrest of all culprits in the case, the mother of the post-graduate trainee whose body was found in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 said she had one child and now all the protesting medics are her children. In south Kolkata, around 4,000 former students of over 40 schools, a large number of them women, walked a distance of 2 km demanding justice for the victim. The former students of various ages chanted 'We Want Justice' as they walked along Rash Behari Avenue to the crossing of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Road from Gariahat. Ex-students of institutes like Binodini Girls School, Mitra Institution, Garfa High School, Carmel High School and St John's Diocesan took part in the ...

'Have suffered patiently': TMC MP resigns over rape-murder, corruption

TMC MP Jawhar Sircar on Sunday wrote to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the chief of his party, and said he has decided to quit Rajya Sabha and leave politics altogether, describing the steps taken by the state government in handling the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital "too little and quite late". In the letter, Sircar said he became increasingly "disillusioned" with the state government as it seemed "quite unconcerned" about corruption and "strong-arm tactics" of a section of leaders. Terming the protests over the doctor's death spontaneous, the retired IAS officer said he had not seen "such angst and total no-confidence" against a government, even when it was saying things that were correct or factual. "The primary purpose of joining as an MP, without any direct involvement in party politics, was that it offered an excellent forum to carry on the struggle against the autocratic and communal politics of the BJP and its Prime Minister. To that extent, I have some ..

News updates: Senior bureaucrat Tuhin Kanta Pandey designated as finance secretary

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West Bengal Guv refers Aparajita Bill to President Murmu for consideration

According to Raj Bhavan Media Cell, Governor has pointed out the omissions and commissions in the hurriedly passed Bill

Meghwal questions WB govt over special courts for crimes against women

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday questioned the West Bengal government for establishing fast track special courts in only five to six districts to deliver swift justice for crimes against women. He said only recently, the state has sent fresh proposals to set up such courts in more districts. Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of an event, the minister said the rape-murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata was shameful. He said mistakes have been pointed out in the action taken after the incident, which even was tardy. "Matter came to the Supreme Court. Then (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter about the need for fast track courts. The scheme (for fast track special courts) already exists," he pointed out. He said except for five-six districts, the courts were not set up (in West Bengal). "Now their proposals have been received for some districts. People of Bengal, doctors across the country are agitated about the incident. "The attitude o

Kolkata rape-murder: Bengal is going from wrong to wrong, says Guv Bose

Amid ongoing protests demanding justice for the young doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at state-run RG Kar hospital last month, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday criticised the state administration for its handling of the situation. Bose remarked that the West Bengal government is "going from wrong to wrong," emphasising that the public's lack of trust in the system has led to the recent massive protests. He said, "What I see in West Bengal today, especially in administration, is going from wrong to wrong. They should realise that two wrongs, even if they are mutually contradictory, will not constitute one right. (The) government has to act and has to take people into confidence. Punishment should be given." He further observed that the people of Bengal no longer feel they can expect justice from the government, a sentiment reflected in the widespread protests, including a candlelight procession held late into the night on Wednesday. "People should feel tha

Kolkata turns off lights to protest against doctor rape-murder incident

Kolkata experienced a unique and powerful display of civic solidarity on Wednesday evening when residents turned off their lights for an hour from 9pm to 10 pm and came down to the streets with burning candles to protest the murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital and to express support for the deceased doctor's family. Significant pockets across districts of West Bengal also witnessed spontaneous protests from citizens hitting roads late in the evening with burning torches, candles and even backlit mobile phones demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim. The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which had called for the protest, titled the event 'Let There Be Light, Let There Be Justice' had planned it to coincide with the Supreme Court's scheduled hearing in the rape-murder case on September 5. The protesters demanded that the case, which is currently being heard by an apex court bench, be resolved expeditiously so that justice doesn't get delayed any further. At 9 pm sharp,

Kolkata rape-murder case updates: Supreme Court to resume hearing tomorrow

RG Kar hospital case updates: Catch all the news developments related to the investigation here

West Bengal anti-rape bill: What are its key provision; know here

The West Bengal government has passed a historic anti-rape bill. This comes in the wake of the tragic rape and murder of the Kolkata doctor. What are they key provisions of the bill? Watch the video

Medic rape-murder: Junior doctors in Bengal continue ceasework in protest

The ceasework by junior doctors at state-run hospitals in West Bengal continued on Wednesday to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee medic at RG Kar hospital here last month. Health services remained crippled at most state-run medical facilities due to the ceasework, which has been underway for over three weeks now. Our demand for justice is still unfulfilled. The protests will continue till our sister gets justice and the culprits are brought to book, one of the junior medics said. He said Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal has not resigned, too, which was another demand of the agitating doctors. The protesters have alleged inadequate steps by the police during its probe into the August 9 rape-murder of the young doctor, before the investigation was handed over to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court. The body of an on-duty postgraduate trainee was found in the seminar room of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city. The incident has ...

Bengal govt suspends ex-RG Kar Hospital principal after CBI arrest

The West Bengal health department suspended former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh on Tuesday, a day after the CBI arrested him for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosh was suspended 26 days after the body of an on-duty woman medic, who was allegedly raped and murdered, was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Hospital on August 9. "In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, he is placed under suspension... with immediate effect," an order said. The Calcutta High Court on August 23 ordered the transfer of a probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The direction came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali, who prayed for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into ...

Doctor rape-murder: Centre moves SC, alleges non-cooperation by WB govt

The Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court alleging "unpardonable" non-cooperation by the West Bengal government in providing logistical support to the CISF, tasked with providing security at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered. Terming the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government as an example "symptomatic of a systemic malaise", the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a direction to West Bengal authorities to extend full cooperation to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). In case of their failure to do so, the Centre urged the apex court to initiate contempt proceedings against the state government officials concerned for wilful non-compliance of the court orders. On August 20, the apex court had termed the rape and murder case of a medic at the hospital as "horrific" and issued a slew of directions including setting up of a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protoc