Midnight tension at R.G Kar after mob ransacks emergency department

Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS) Fresh tension broke out at the R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a junior doctor was brutally raped and murder last week, minutes after midnight after a group of miscreants barged into the hospital premises and ransacked the emergency department.The incident was reported soon after scores of people led by women took to the streets of Kolkata following the call of ‘Meyera, Raat Dakhal Karo’ (girls, reclaim the night), demanding justice for the junior doctor.Eyewitnesses said the police posted at the hospital premises remained mute spectators as the group of miscreants ransacked the emergency department. The group of youth were heard claiming that their protest was against the denial of treatment to patients following the ‘cease work’ call given at the hospital.The violent mob also reportedly attacked mediapersons present at the hospital, damaging their cameras. The dais of those participating in the ‘Midnight Protest March’ outside the hospital premises was also vandalised.Following this incident, questions are now being raised about the identity and background of the group of 30-35 youths who resorted to vandalism within the R.G. Kar premises.Trinamool Congress spokesman and former Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen said, “We all want the culprits behind the rape and murder of the junior doctor to be penalised. But in the name of movement, patients should not be denied treatment. The event of vandalism on the hospital premises is unacceptable.”A section of the protesters participating in the midnight march alleged that the vandalism was carried out by people with ‘vested interests’ after taking the police into confidence to divert attention from the widespread protests by women.–IANSsrc/arm