Kolkata rape-murder protest: Agitating doctors march to police HQ in Lalbazar

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Protesting junior doctors demand Kolkata Police Commissioner's resignation after rape and murder incident, leading to face-off with police.

Protesting junior doctors marched to Lalbazar, Kolkata Police (KP) Headquarters on Monday (September 2 2024), demanding the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal over the rape and murder of resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and the multiple accounts of police “failure”. The march became a face off for over 4 hours but failed to reach any resolution even after three rounds of talks with senior police personnel. 

After hours of protest and sit-in demonstrations multiple police personnel tried to negotiate with the agitated doctors.

Also read:No let-up in protests over Kolkata rape and murder; resident doctors open Abhaya Clinics

Deputy Commissioner of Police - Central Division Kolkata, Indira Mukherjee said, “We have no issues facilitating a meeting with some of the student representatives if they wish to meet the CP or some other senior police officer. Earlier too, any procession to Lalbazar has always been stopped at Fierce Lane owing to Section 144. This is no exception.” Ms. Mukherjee said.

A protesting PGT doctor from RGKMCH who had joined the protest rally told The Hindu, “We could have died when the mob attacked us on August 15 midnight, police abandoned us, left us with the violent mob. They said they were not prepared for such a turn of events. But the same police had thousands of forces posted when students held a march to Nabanna (State Secretariate), the same police are blocking our way with huge barricades when we want to meet Vineet Goyal.” He further said that they have lost all faith in the workings of the police and fear that they are not capable enough to protect the aggrieved doctors. 

“The KP force was responsible for taking care of the seminar room, it was their duty to protect the evidence. They failed. It was their duty to protect us, they failed,” said an MBBS student from Medical College, Kolkata amidst cries of “Vineet Goyal you should be ashamed, it is time you leave your throne,” piercing through the streets of Central Kolkata as hundreds of doctors marched towards the police headquarters. 

Hours of face-off unfolded at B.B. Ganguly Street, some 800 meters away from Lalbazar where huge police barricades and hundreds of geared up police stopped the protesting doctors from going further.