Junior doctors, medical students summoned by police ahead of RG Kar Anniversary Protest

Kolkata: Just days before the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) is set to hold protests on August 8 and 9, the Kolkata Police has issued fresh notices to several junior doctors and medical students, asking them to appear for questioning in connection with last year's agitation.

According to the association, at least six medical professionals who had participated in last year’s protest held in response to the alleged rape and murder of a PG medico at RG Kar Medical College have received official notices from Kolkata Police.

Through these notices, the police asked them to appear at police stations for questioning over FIRs registered during the 2024 Esplanade protest. The charges mentioned in the FIR include unlawful assembly, causing grievous harm to police, and even molestation of women police officers.

Also read- Court rebukes CBI for missing original documents in RG Kar Corruption Case

WBJDF leaders see this as a deliberate attempt to intimidate them ahead of the upcoming demonstrations. "What is the motive of digging up the cases days before we renew our movement on Aug 8 and 9? We will not be intimidated," said anaesthesiologist Debasis Halder of WBJDF.

As per a TOI media report, the protest, scheduled for August 8 and 9, is being organised to mark the one-year anniversary of the RG Kar case, where a trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered. Her half-naked body was recovered from the seminar hall of the hospital. A preliminary autopsy report had indicated sexual abuse before she was killed. Soon after the news of this horrific incident came to light, doctors across the country started a massive protest demanding justice last year.

Among those who have received police notices is Kinjal Nanda, a prominent figure in the agitation, along with medical students from RG Kar, Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC), and Medical College Hospital, Kolkata.

Dr. Aniket Mahata, another WBJDF leader, said, "Police now want to probe cases 10 months after the agitation at Dorina crossing. This is an effort to thwart our events."

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that after the West Bengal Junior Doctor Association (WBJDA) accused the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) of collecting and misusing funds under the pretence of seeking justice for Abhaya, seven junior doctors associated with WBJDF, the key figures in leading the agitation, were summoned by the Bidhan Nagar police.

Also read- Alleged Misuse of Funds: 7 Junior doctors leading RG Kar movement summoned by police