West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek the death penalty after a trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital was sexually assaulted and murdered. The TMC supremo also lent support to the ongoing protests by junior doctors and assured that the case would be handled by a fast-track court.
“The incident is unfortunate and despicable. It feels like a personal loss to me. Their anger and demand is justified. I support it. Police have also accepted their demands. I have directed the case to be taken to a fast-track court. If needed, the accused will be hanged. But they should be given the strictest punishment,” reports quoted Banerjee as saying.
The CM also insisted that her government had no objections against an investigation by any agency — including the CBI if necessary. She urged junior doctors at various state-run hospitals to carry on providing healthcare services while they protested.
“The BJP and CPI-M are making politics. The CPI-M should explain the incidents of Bantala...The BJP should remember Unnao, Hathras, etc. The CM is acting like a good guardian,” added TMC leader Kunal Ghosh.
The victim — a woman postgraduate trainee doctor — was found partially clothed inside a seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday. The autopsy report showed signs of sexual assault before she was killed between 3:00 am and 6:00 am. The chest medicine department student had been on duty on Thursday night.
“There was bleeding from both her eyes and mouth, injuries over the face, and a nail. The victim was also bleeding from her private parts. She also has injuries in her belly, left leg, neck, in her right hand, ring finger, and lips,” read an excerpt from the autopsy report viewed by PTI.
The police have arrested one person in connection with the case and investigation remains underway. Officials said that the accused (an outsider) had free access to the different departments of the hospital.
“We have arrested one person, who is an outsider. His activities are quite suspicious and he seems to be directly involved in the crime,” a police officer told PTI.
(With inputs from agencies)
