Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: In a significant admission, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal acknowledged an “assessment failure” in handling the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered last week. This comes after the Calcutta High Court strongly criticized the West Bengal government and police for their inability to prevent the violence during a vigil.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night during a “Women, Reclaim the Night” vigil organized by women in Kolkata and other parts of the country. The peaceful gathering took a violent turn when some individuals breached the hospital premises, damaging vehicles and public property. The police had to resort to a lathicharge and firing tear gas shells to regain control. In the chaos, 15 policemen were injured, and 25 individuals, including women, were arrested.
When questioned about the failure to prevent the vandalism, Commissioner Goyal explained that the situation was challenging due to the lack of clear leadership among the crowd and the need to ensure the safety of women present at the vigil. “We had to be restrained in our response,” Goyal stated, emphasizing that despite sufficient deployment, the crowd managed to breach the barricades and cause significant damage.
Goyal also defended the police’s investigation into the trainee doctor’s rape and murder, urging the public to trust the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), now handling the case. He criticized the spread of unverified information and emphasized the importance of relying on scientific evidence.
The Calcutta High Court earlier condemned the state’s handling of the situation, calling it an “absolute failure of state machinery.” The court expressed disbelief that the police, with their intelligence resources, could not anticipate the large gathering and prevent the violence. The bench also questioned how doctors at the hospital could work fearlessly in such an environment.
As the investigation continues, the spotlight remains on the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police, with public and legal scrutiny intensifying over their handling of the tragic events at RG Kar Medical College.
