The West Bengal Police was criticised by social media users following a post on its woman constable suffering injuries during vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital while she was on duty when a midnight march was held in protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run hospital.
Late on Wednesday night, unidentified miscreants, around 30-40 people, entered the hospital during the 'Reclaim the Night' protest and vandalised property. Police personnel fired teargas and resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob.
In a tweet on Friday, the West Bengal Police said the woman constable, Shampa Pramanik, was on duty during the midnight protest, when a brick, thrown from the crowd, hit her, and resulted in injuries to her face.
"It was meant to be a night for women, when they reclaimed the streets demanding safety at the workplace, in memory of a young woman who fell victim to a horrifying tragedy at her own workplace," the tweet read.
The police said the incident occurred in the city's Baguiati area and five people were arrested in connection with the incident.
"Our colleague, Constable Shampa Pramanik, of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, was in Baguiati on the night of August 14, ensuring the safety of those walking the streets," it said.
"Suddenly, unprovoked, several bricks came flying from the crowd toward the police, one of which hit Shampa in the face. The accompanying photo was taken in the minutes immediately after she was hit," it said.
"We have arrested five people in the case, and will try to ensure punishment for them, but this is peripheral information. The main question is: Wasn't the night Shampa's too?" the police further said.
'PLAYING VICTIM CARD'
Social media users slammed the West Bengal Police's post on the woman constable and accused the police force of playing the victim card.
"Hoping for her swift recovery, but why resort to playing the victim? The police were responsible for safeguarding both the protesters and their own officers. It failed at both. Women are demanding safety, and it is your obligation to ensure that. Instead, you play the victim and lay bare your incompetence so poetically," one user wrote.
"Your priorities are sorted! Instead of safeguarding citizens and helping the victims, you are crying victim yourself!" another tweeted.
"Shameless police force. You guys intimidate common citizens for posts, cannot manage law and order in your state, and want to play victim? Leave your job if you can't do it," another user said.
ABOUT KOLKATA RAPE-MURDER
On August 9, the semi-naked body of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of the hospital. A civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, linked to Kolkata Police was arrested.
A postmortem report revealed that the trainee doctor was raped and throttled to death. Her thyroid cartilage was broken due to strangling and a deep wound was found in her private parts, the four-page autopsy report said. Injury marks were found on her belly, lips, fingers, face and left leg.
The rape-murder has sparked widespread outrage, with doctors and nurses leading protests in Kolkata and other parts of the country, demanding capital punishment against the accused and steps to improve doctors' security.
The Calcutta High Court has handed over the case to the CBI for further investigation.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called a 24-hour nationwide cease-work protest, halting most health services from Saturday morning to Sunday, demanding justice for the trainee doctor's rape-murder and improved working conditions for doctors.
