West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal following intense protests by doctors. The protests were sparked by the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. After a six-hour-long meeting with the aggrieved medical professionals on Monday, Banerjee agreed to several key demands, including the removal of top officials in the Kolkata police and health departments.The protests had centered around allegations that the police and state authorities had mishandled the case, with accusations of bribery being leveled at the Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police (North). In response, Banerjee confirmed that the deputy commissioner, too, would be removed from his post.Apart from this, Banerjee assured the protesting doctors that all four of their demands had been accepted, and she noted that a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the horrific incident was already in progress.Despite this, the doctors announced that their protests would continue until all promises made by the Chief Minister were fulfilled, particularly their demand for the removal of the Health Secretary, which has not yet been addressed.In a press conference following the meeting, Banerjee shared, “In view of the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said in the meeting that he is ready to resign. At 4 pm, Vineet will hand over the responsibility to the new CP.”RG Kar Medical College Rape-Murder case | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, We tried listening to junior doctors...we have decided to change the DC (Kolkata Police Commissioner)...he agreed to resign himself...in health department, they demanded the removal of 3 persons and… pic.twitter.com/f7xkS4lNYM— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2024In addition to the police officials, key figures in the health department have also been replaced, including Director of Medical Education Kaustav Naik and Director of Health Services Debashis Halder.Doctors continue protest for justiceAlthough the doctors acknowledged Banerjees efforts and hailed the removal of the police commissioner as a “moral victory,” they emphasized that their protests would not cease until all their demands, particularly regarding corruption in the health department, are fully met. They highlighted that the governments acknowledgment of their demands marked a significant step, but concerns about safety and accountability in the health sector remain.The protests, sparked by the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate medical student on August 9, have drawn nationwide attention. The incident has underscored the urgent need for greater security and safety measures in hospitals across West Bengal.
