Will seek death penalty for accused, no objection on probe by any agency: CM Mamata Banerjee
Woman doctor murder case
Kolkata, Aug 10: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday vowed to seek death penalty for the accused in the brutal sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in a state-run hospital.
Her announcement came shortly after the accused, who was reportedly an outsider frequenting the hospital premises, was arrested and later remanded to 14-day police custody.
Banerjee also instructed officials to expedite the trial by moving it to a fast track court.
She said her government would have no objections to a CBI probe if the students demand it, emphasising, "If they do not trust the West Bengal government, they can approach any investigating agency; we have no objection."
In a post on X, the Raj Bhavan said Governor CV Ananda Bose has asked the state government to take immediate action in the matter and submit a report.
"HG has asked the State Government to take immediate action in the matter and submit a report. HG is also taking up the matter with the Govt of India for appropriate action," the post said.
The body of the woman doctor was found inside a seminar hall of the RG Kar Government Hospital in north Kolkata on Friday.
Preliminary autopsy reports indicated that she was sexually abused before being murdered.
The accused has been charged with rape and murder based on circumstantial evidence and testimonies from doctors who were present during night-duty hours, according to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.
"This is a heinous crime, and the arrested person is allegedly involved based on circumstantial evidence, including accounts of the other doctors present during night-duty hours," Goyal told a press conference here.
Goyal said the force will ensure that the accused gets the maximum punishment if the charges are proved in court.
The accused was charged under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of BNS and presented before Sealdah court, which remanded him to 14 days' police custody till August 23.
In response to the incident, junior doctors and students at various state-run hospitals, including RG Kar Medical College, National Medical College, and Medical College, Kolkata, held protest sit-ins and processions.
Similar protests also took place at district hospitals such as Bardhaman Medical College and Bankura Sammilani Medical College.
Maintaining that protests and processions by junior doctors demanding exemplary punishment for the accused and enhanced security at hospitals were justified, the Chief Minister urged the doctors to also carry on giving healthcare services to patients.
"I endorse the demands by the junior doctors," she told a Bengali news channel.
The Chief Minister, who also oversees the Home and Health portfolios, announced that police camps have been set up at every hospital to prevent further assaults on doctors.
She emphasised that hospital superintendents and principals are responsible for maintaining internal security and assured that any negligence on their part will be investigated.
Meanwhile, addressing protesters near the hospital, CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Mohd Salim said, "the City of Joy has turned into a City of bhoy (fear). No one is safe under this Trinamool Congress government, the whole country is condemning the gruesome incident."
Demanding a CBI probe into the incident, Union Minister of State and BJP's West Bengal state president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters, "the injury marks on the body of the woman doctor indicate this cannot be the handiwork of one person."
Expressing surprise over spate of demonstrations over the incident, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said, "There can be protests over such heinous crimes. That is perfectly understandable. But after the statement of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that a probe by any other agency is welcome, is there any necessity to continue the protests?"
A delegation of National Medicos Organisastion (NMO) West Bengal called on Governor C V Ananda Bose and submitted a representation expressing deep anguish over the incident. The deputation demanded proper security for those on duty, especially the women medical practitioners at night.
1) A delegation of National Medicos Organisastion (NMO) West Bengal called on HG and submitted a representation expressing deep anguish and protest on the murder of a 2nd year Post Graduate female Resident of R. G. Kar Medical College. The deputation demanded proper security for…
— Raj Bhavan Media Cell (@BengalGovernor) August 10, 2024
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
