Will seek death penalty for accused, no objection on probe by any agency: CM Mamata Banerjee on trainee doctor's sexual assault, murder

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said Banerjee instructed the officials to expedite the trial by moving it to a fast-track court. File pic

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, news agency PTI reported.

Her announcement came shortly after the accused, who was reportedly an outsider frequenting the hospital premises, was arrested and later remanded in 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 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe if the students demand it, and emphasises, "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.

(With PTI inputs)