The Kolkata Police has imposed orders barring the assembly of people outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital till August 24, The Hindu reported.
This came after a spate of protests in the vicinity against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the medical institute in the early hours of August 9.
The orders were issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which prohibits rallies, meetings, processions, dharnas and demonstrations.
Similar orders have been issued for the J Mitra Road, Shyambazar Five Point Crossing and Belgachia Road areas, as well as some others in the jurisdictions of the Shyampukur, Ultadanga and Tala police stations.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said the orders were intended to prevent any breach of peace or disturbance to public tranquility.
With protests against the incident cropping up across the country, the home ministry has instructed states and Union territories to provide law and order reports every two hours, reported The Hindu.
In the early hours of Thursday, a mob of around 5,000 people vandalised the college and attacked a large crowd of protestors, including doctors.
Amid protests, the West Bengal health department on Saturday revoked the transfer orders of 42 doctors, reported The Hindu.
Principal Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said: “Considering the current situation, we need to maintain normal services across the board. Therefore, we have decided to cancel these transfer orders for now. Any further decisions regarding this matter will be made in a few days.”
Healthcare services were affected across West Bengal for the tenth consecutive day on Sunday as protesting doctors at state-run hospitals continued their strike against the incident, reported PTI.
“We are not for affecting healthcare services,” an unidentified doctor told the news agency. “We can understand the problems faced by the patients but our protest is very relevant in this context when an on-duty doctor was raped and murdered. Is this what we expect while coming to work? We will continue with our protest till our sister gets justice and the government arranges total security for us.”
The Central Bureau of Investigation will on Sunday interrogate the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, for the third day in a row in connection with the case, reported The Hindu.
The Kolkata Police, meanwhile, has issued summonses to former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Locket Chatterjee and two doctors for allegedly disclosing the identity of the woman doctor who was raped and murdered at the college, reported PTI on Sunday.
At least 57 others have been summoned by the Kolkata Police for allegedly spreading misinformation about the incident.
Also read:
- What a brutal crime in a Kolkata hospital reveals about the dangers women doctors face in India
- Rape, murder of Kolkata doctor highlight failure of workplace safety provisions for women
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!