Kolkata (PTI): 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 triggered nationwide outrage.

“We believe that many people are being shielded in the case and the truth must come out,” another junior doctor at a state-run hospital told PTI.

A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after the trainee doctor’s body was discovered. The CBI has also arrested former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment.

 

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Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant and not to leave counting centres, alleging that there was a "game plan" by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the saffron party taking a lead in the early trends of counting.

In a video message issued during the counting of votes, the TMC supremo appealed to party workers to stay put and not to lose morale.

"I appeal to everyone that neither TMC candidates nor counting agents should abandon counting centres," she said.

As trends on the Election Commission website indicated the BJP leading in 188 seats against the TMC's 94, Banerjee maintained that her party was still ahead in a significant number of constituencies.

"We are still ahead in 170 seats, but I request everyone not to lose hope," she said, adding that there were "around 70 to 100 seats where we are leading, but they are not sharing the data of those seats".

"A false narrative is being spread," she alleged.

The chief minister accused the Election Commission of "not declaring results or leads" in areas where the TMC was ahead.

"This is a game plan by the EC and the BJP as it (poll panel) is not declaring results or leads in areas where we are leading," she said.

Banerjee also alleged irregularities in the counting process at some locations.

"In several places, counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds. In Kalyani, we have caught seven machines with severe anomalies," she claimed.

She further alleged that TMC workers were being "harassed with the help of central forces" and that party offices were being "vandalised and forcefully captured".

"With the help of central forces, they are harassing and torturing AITC workers. Our offices have been vandalised," she said, also alleging that voter list revision exercises were "purposefully done to target seats where we were strong".

Seeking to reassure party workers, Banerjee said more rounds of counting were yet to take place and urged them to stay firm.

"Fourteen to eighteen rounds of counting will happen. You will surely emerge victorious. Don't be afraid; fight like tigers," she said.

Her remarks came as counting trends suggested that the BJP was leading in 188 seats and had crossed the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member assembly, pointing to a potential shift in the state's political landscape.

Counting for 293 constituencies was underway with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes.

Officials cautioned that trends could change as more rounds are counted, and final results would be known later in the day.