Two days after the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was vandalised by a 150-strong mob, the number of arrests has risen to 19 as protests continue over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the government facility in Kolkata.

Outnumbered by the mob who masqueraded as protesters, police personnel ran for refuge, giving the mob free access to the emergency building where the victim was found dead last week. The group also targeted the makeshift protest dais. At least eight police personnel were injured in stone-pelting. 

While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Left and the BJP of a role in the incident, her nephew and TMC second–in-command Abhishek Banerjee said the police must act against culprits regardless of their political affiliation.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has condemned the vandalism and called for a 24-hour strike.

The protesting doctors in Kolkata said the incident would only intensify their movement. “The hooligans’ intention will not be successful. We will not step back from our charter of demands which include justice for the victim doctor and security for lady doctors at hospitals,” said Mohammad Arif, a junior doctor at RG Kar, amid slogans of mancha tumi bhangte paro, andolan barbe aaro (you can vandalise our stage to protest, but it will intensify our movement).

‘They came shouting slogans, armed with sticks’

“Initially, we thought they were among the protesters. But shortly we realised they were attackers,” said a police officer who was present at the spot.

The vandalism took place amid a midnight march called in the state capital on Wednesday, August 14, which asked participants to join their ‘Reclaim Night’ campaign at three places – Jadavpur, Academy and Shyambazar. Police said the mob assembled in front of the hospital gate shortly after the protesters left for the nearby Shyambazar five-point crossing to join the midnight march.

“Shouting slogans for justice, the assembly suddenly turned unruly. Many of them armed with sticks took position behind the first line of the assembly so that they could not be spotted immediately. They overpowered policemen while smashing barricades and vandalised the protesters’ makeshift stage,” said a police officer.

The mob then headed towards the entrance of the emergency building. “They broke open the collapsible gate… Beds, furniture, medical equipment at the emergency were vandalised. CCTV cameras were smashed. They did not even spare the room designated for policemen. On seeing the attackers approaching the stairs leading to the upper floors, we had no option left but to run and take refuge in washrooms,” said a nurse who did not wish to be named.

The mob also went on a rampage in the ENT department and the HDU wing of the hospital. Police, however, said the seminar room on the third floor of the emergency building, where the crime occurred, was untouched though the mob managed to reach its gate, which the hospital staff had locked sensing trouble.

The incident continued for half-an-hour.

Commissioner blames the media

About 100 police personnel were deployed on the hospital premises on Wednesday night. On seeing the attackers smashing barricades in front of the main gate, policemen ran – not to chase but to flee in the opposite direction. Video footage showed members of the mob, many wearing shorts and T-shirts, entering the hospital premises – supposed to be a high-security zone – without facing even minimum resistance.

“Policemen ran faster than us,” said a doctor at the hospital who was on duty at the emergency wing at the time of the attack.

Nurses on duty alleged that neither the police nor the hospital authorities came forward to save them. “Instead of chasing away the hooligans, police entered the emergency building seeking refuge. They urged us to provide rooms where they could take shelter,” said a nurse.

The police registered a case of vandalism and destruction of government property and uploaded 57 photographs of the mob on its social media platform, urging citizens to come forward to identify them. Preliminary probe suggested the attackers were from the nearby Belgachia area, seen as a TMC stronghold.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, who visited the hospital after the violence, blamed the press for a “malicious” campaign that led to the attack.

“What has happened here is because of a malicious campaign by the media against the Kolkata police. What has the Kolkata police not done? My men, who are under my command, have done everything to investigate the rape and murder case. We have done no wrong. But because of this malicious media campaign, Kolkata police has lost its trust among the people,” Goyal told the press.

Mamata blames opposition, nephew seeks action

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee blamed opposition parties. “Some outsiders are trying to create unrest in the state. I have video clippings showing some of the attackers displaying the national flag who are BJP supporters and red and white flags, who are DYFI supporters. The attack was orchestrated by the Left party and BJP.”

DYFI is the youth wing of the CPI(M).

Before the chief minister’s statement, Abhishek Banerjee tweeted, “The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata, urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today’s violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. 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 prioritised.”

CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Selim called Mamata Banerjee’s allegation a move to benefit the BJP and hide the truth behind the incident. “Police should identify the attackers by activating their local source network as they were from the neighbouring Belgachia area. TMC’s local leadership sent their foot soldiers for the vandalism to divert the issue,” he alleged.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has demanded the chief minister’s resignation.

This report was republished from Newslaundry as part of The News Minute-Newslaundry alliance. Read more about our partnership here.