IMA condemns vandalism at RG Kar Hospital, calls emergency meet with its state branches
New Delhi (PTI): The IMA Friday condemned the vandalism at the state-run medical college in Kolkata where doctors have been protesting the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic, and called for an emergency meeting with its state branches to decide on the future course of action.
Unidentified miscreants vandalised a portion of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital amid midnight protests by women in various parts of West Bengal against the alleged rape and murder of the doctor in the seminar hall of the hospital.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said the authorities have once again failed to maintain law and order when an all-important CBI investigation into the trainee woman doctor's alleged rape and murder is underway.
In a statement, the association said the R G Kar Medical College, which is at the centre of national attention for the past week due to the rape and murder of the chest medicine PG student, has been vandalised by hooligans.
"The authorities, who by their negligence had allowed such a heinous crime to happen, have once again failed to maintain law and order when the all-important CBI investigation is going on. Such vandalism with impunity points to anarchy and the breaking down of law and order. IMA condemns this mindless violence and is apprehensive of loss of crucial evidence," it said.
According to the police, nearly 40 people, masquerading as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalized property and pelted police personnel with stones, prompting the force to lob tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
The miscreants carrying sticks, bricks and rods, vandalised the Emergency ward, its nursing station and medicine store, besides a section of the Out Patients Department (OPD) at the hospital in north Kolkata, police said.
Several CCTV cameras in and around the area were destroyed by the vandals who also ransacked a stage where the junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9 evening following the death of the medic.
A police vehicle was overturned and several two-wheelers parked there were also damaged in the incident, and some police officers suffered injuries.
A doctor attending the protest on the medical college's premises, said, "Goons entered the campus and beat up the agitating doctors. This was an attempt to break our morale so that we back out from the protest. But such incidents have only strengthened our resolve to fight till the end."
A postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the hospital on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day.
The Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the investigation into the crime to the CBI from the Kolkata Police on August 13.
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Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
