.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday reacted to the uproar over the death of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and said that the accused would be hanged if required. She said she had directed the case to be fast-tracked.
The trainee doctor was found dead inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital on Friday. Following this, junior doctors staged a protest, demanding justice for the victim.
Calling the incident "unfortunate", Banerjee claimed that the arrested accused worked in the hospital. She said she spoke to the family of the trainee doctor and assured them of proper action in the case.
"Firstly, the incident is unfortunate and despicable. It feels like a personal loss to me. Their (doctors') anger and demand is justified. I support it. Police have also accepted their demands," Banerjee said.
"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," she said.
"For those who are protesting, if they feel that they don't have faith in the state administration, they can approach any other law enforcement agency. I have no issue with that. We want proper and thorough investigation and stringent punishment for the culprits," she added.
Banerjee urged the doctors to treat patients while continuing their protest.
"Just as we have a responsibility, the hospital’s superintendent too has a responsibility. We will also probe if there was negligence on any part," she said.
The Chief Minister said she was in touch with the police regarding the investigation into the case.
Asked if the victim's family demanded a probe by a central agency, "We don't have any objections as there is nothing we have to hide. The Commissioner of Police was in the hospital and he was in contact with me. I am clearly saying that an exemplary punishment has to be made."
A four-page autopsy report revealed that the woman had bleeding from her private parts and there were injury marks on other parts of her body.
"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," the autopsy report was quoted by PTI as saying.
According to a Kolkata Police officer, the incident took place between 3 and 6 am.
The Kolkata Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), including members of the homicide department, to probe the incident.
The police stated that the arrested accused had free access to several departments of the hospital. He was arrested after the police reviewed the CCTV footage.
"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 official told PTI.
