Kolkata rape-murder case: Chaos at RG Kar Hospital as protesters clash with police, damage property

The vandalism took place during the 'Reclaim the Nights' protest rallies, which were organized to demand justice for the slain postgraduate trainee doctor. The rallies converged at the hospital from various parts of the city, with protesters calling for swift action and accountability.

In the early hours of Thursday (August 15), a violent clash erupted at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital when a group of miscreants broke through barricades, attacked protesting doctors, and caused extensive damage to hospital property. The chaos unfolded around midnight as women, outraged by the recent rape and murder of a young doctor at the hospital, gathered in protest.

The vandalism took place during the 'Reclaim the Nights' protest rallies, which were organized to demand justice for the slain postgraduate trainee doctor. The rallies converged at the hospital from various parts of the city, with protesters calling for swift action and accountability.

According to police reports, a group of nearly 40 individuals, allegedly posing as protesters, infiltrated the hospital premises. They vandalised the emergency building, where the doctor's body was found last week, and pelted stones at police officers. The police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the mob.

The intruders, described as wearing shorts and vests, were not part of the original protest groups and wreaked havoc on the emergency department, damaging beds occupied by patients and causing doctors, nurses, and police officers to flee the scene.

In addition to the destruction within the hospital, a police vehicle and several two-wheelers were also damaged in the violence, and some police officers sustained injuries.

The 'Reclaim the Night' campaign, which gained traction on social media, began just before midnight, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations. The movement spread across major cities and towns, including key landmarks in Kolkata, as people united in their demand for justice.

As tensions escalated at the hospital, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal arrived on the scene around 2 a.m. He criticized the media for what he described as a "malicious campaign" against the police, defending the department's handling of the investigation into the doctor’s death.

Goyal stressed that the Kolkata Police had been thorough in their investigation and dismissed claims that they were trying to shield anyone. He assured the public that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), now involved in the case, would conduct a fair probe, and the police would fully cooperate.

"What has happened here is the result of a wrong media campaign, a malicious campaign against Kolkata police. We have done everything in this case... but rumors are being spread," Goyal said.