Blame Game: Mamata Banerjee, BJP Blame Each Other for Vandalism at the Crime Scene

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Aug 15: When the neighbourhoods across West Bengal were witnessing massive gatherings by women to protest against the horrifying incident, a mob entered the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital campus and went on the rampage attacking vehicles, damaging public property even as police used teargas shells to disperse the mob. Several police officers were injured in the clash.

The incident took place amid midnight protests by women against the horrific rape and murder of the trainee postgraduate doctor at the hospital on August 9, 2024. A group of people, disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted stones at policemen, they said.

The Kolkata Police’s forensic experts have reached RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to investigate the vandalism that happened in the early hours of Thursday, Police have so far detained nine persons for their alleged involvement in the incident.

The vandalism happened during a protest against the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor on the premises of the institution last week. Women in Kolkata and many other parts of the country had organised a vigil, calling it “women, reclaim the night” on Wednesday. During the vigil, which began at 11 pm on Wednesday, some people entered the premises of the hospital and went on a rampage.

Vehicles were attacked, public property was damaged and the police had to resort to a lathi-charge as well as firing teargas shells to control the situation. The Kolkata Police said 15 policemen were injured.

The police on Thursday morning released some photos of people believed to be part of the mob that vandalised the hospital and sought information about them. The photos were shared on social media and the faces of the suspected rioters were circled. The arrests were announced hours later.

While the identities of the nine arrested people have not been revealed, a doctor, Anubhav Mondal, who participated in the protests outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, said he was among those in the photographs circulated by the Kolkata Police.

“Our protests will continue and get bigger. Whoever thinks they can instil fear in us will not succeed, we want justice at any cost. Our most important demand is a neutral investigation through a court-monitored process, and justice,” Mr Mondal said.

After claims were made on social media that the seminar hall where the 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered was also vandalised by the mob, the Kolkata Police said nothing of the sort had happened and warned people against spreading rumours.

The Kolkata police said the crime scene the seminar hall where the trainee doctor was raped and murdered last week, was not compromised in last night’s mob violence. Responding to reports that the fourth floor room where the crime took place has been vandalised, Kolkata Police said in a post on X, “Crime scene is Seminar Room and it has not been touched. Don’t spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours.”

While it is not yet clear who is behind the mob violence, Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari blamed the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the vandalism while Ms Banerjee accused the opposition BJP and other political parties for the incident.

Mr Adhikari on Thursday alleged that Ms Banerjee sent the Trinamool Congress “goons” to disrupt the apolitical protest rally near the hospital and destroy the evidences of the crime at the seminar hall where the 31-year old trainee postgraduate doctor was raped and murdered.

“Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won’t be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn’t get picked up by the CBI,” the BJP leader added.

Ms Banerjee accused opposition political parties of being behind the vandalism. Mr Banerjee said she does not hold the students or doctors responsible for their protests and instead, she accused certain political parties of attempting to incite trouble. “Police are looking into the matter. I don’t have any complaints against the students or the agitating doctors. But there are certain political parties which are trying to foment trouble. If you go through the video, you will get to see what happened,” she said.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress general secretary and Number 2 in the party, said the hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight “exceeded all acceptable limits.” “As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata, urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today’s violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised,” Mr Banerjee said in a post on X.

The CBI is now investigating the rape and murder case that has shaken the nation. The central agency took over the investigation after the Calcutta High Court noted that Kolkata Police have made no significant progress in the case and transferred the case. The parents of the victim had filed a petition, seeking a probe monitored by the court to ensure evidence is not tampered with.

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose said the vandalism at the medical college was a shame to civil society. “I am with you and we will work together to solve this. I assure you justice. My ears and eyes are open,” Mr Bose told the students after visiting the hospital on Thursday afternoon.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also condemned the vandalism at the State-run medical college in Kolkata where doctors have been protesting the rape and murder incident and called for an emergency meeting with its State branches to decide on the future course of action. The IMA lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government saying that the State government was directly responsible for this collapse of public order.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shatrughan Sinha praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, describing her as a woman of substance and a symbol of women empowerment. He also criticised the BJP, accusing the party of being ‘desperate and frustrated’ in its continuous attacks on the Chief Minister over incidents in the state.

Mr Sinha said Mamata Banerjee was an example of ‘women empowerment’ who faced numerous challenges to achieve success as a leader and said the entire nation takes pride in her accomplishments. “There is only one woman CM in the entire country and we talk about women empowerment. Mamata Banerjee is a woman of substance and she has struggled a lot to reach this position. She proved herself as a successful leader. The entire country is proud of her,” he said.

Demanding the resignation of Ms Banerjee over vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the BJP said its women’s wing will hold a candlelight rally to her residence on August 16 in protest. Alleging that law and order has “failed” in the State, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the saffron party would also hold a sit-in demonstration near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

A CBI team, which took over the investigation of the rape and murder case on Tuesday, met the family of the trainee doctor who was killed.

The police had arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, who is now in the CBI’s custody. The parents of the trainee doctor have told the Calcutta High Court that 150 mg of semen was found in her body, indicating that she was gang-raped. “No step taken to arrest any other offenders while the evidence clearly indicates that their daughter was the victim of a gang rape and murder, a crime that could not have been committed by one person alone,” the parents’ petition said.