The Union Home Ministry has directed all state police forces to submit situation reports every two hours following nationwide protests by doctors, nursing staff, and others over the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The ministry issued this directive on Friday, emphasising the need for close monitoring of the law and order situation across states.
In its communication, the home ministry stated, “Henceforth, a continuous two-hourly law and order situation report in this regard may kindly be sent to the MHA control room (New Delhi) by Fax/ Email/ WhatsApp from 1600 hours today.” The ministry also provided the necessary contact details for submitting these reports.
The tragic incident occurred on August 9 when a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the hospital. A Kolkata Police civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the following day. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation.
The situation escalated when a group of individuals entered the hospital premises after midnight on Wednesday and vandalised parts of the facility during protests led by women against the horrific incident.
The protests have spread across various parts of the country, severely impacting the functioning of health facilities. Medical professionals are demanding the implementation of a central law to curb violence against healthcare personnel, the declaration of hospitals as safe zones, and mandatory security provisions.