'Hooliganism have exceeded all limits, identify them within 24 hours': Abhishek Banerjee urges Kolkata Police

After a mid-night attack on protesting doctors at state-run RG Kar Medical College, TMC's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday said the hooliganism and vandalism have exceeded all acceptable limits and that they should be identified and made to face the law within the next 24 hours regardless of their political affiliations.

Banerjee, MP from Diamond Harbour, said he spoke with the Kolkata Police Commissioner and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for today's violence is held accountable. "The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritized," he said.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, unidentified miscreants entered the premises of RG Kar Medical College and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where the body of a woman doctor was found last week. The incident took place amid midnight protests by women against the horrific rape murder of the doctor at the hospital.

According to the police, a group of nearly 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property, and pelted stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob.

The Kolkata Police Commissioner, however, said that what had happened there was "because of the wrong media campaign". He suggested that the Kolkata Police had done everything for fair probe but was still blamed. "What has Kolkata Police not done? My men have worked day and night to collect the best evidence. Rumours are being floated that the accused has links with some politician Mahapatra...he is an intern, and he comes from a humble background. We have verified this."

"You are spreading rumours and the Kolkata Police has lost the trust of the people because of the malicious media campaign. We have never said that there is only one accused...we are waiting for scientific evidence, it takes time," the city police chief said.

West Bengal BJP's Suvendu Adhikari blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming she sent "TMC goons" to disturb the protests. "She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital," Adhikari said.

The BJP leader alleged that vandals were given safe passage by the police, "who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn't get picked up by the CBI".

"As they were dumb TMC hooligans they couldn't execute the plan well and revealed their identity when they vandalised the Dharna Manch of the Resident Doctors, PGTs & Internees. Why would someone who has come to show solidarity would destroy the Epicenter of the Protests? Lastly, the protests happened peacefully across the State, why violence erupted at RG Kar only?"