Kolkata News Highlights: Petitions filed in Supreme Court, medical services hit across India

A CBI team at the RG Kar Medical College is carrying a high-accuracy 3D laser scanner to record a digital blueprint of the site of the horrific rape and murder of a junior doctor inside the premises.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Former Principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, approached the Calcutta High Court on Friday, claiming his life is under threat and seeking protection. The court has asked the state to provide him police protection.

The court has also asked his counsel to file a separate affidavit if anything else needs to be mentioned or any other claims.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has targeted West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee amid a political uproar over the death of a trainee-doctor in Kolkata.

During a press conference in Lucknow on Friday, Trivedi accused the India Alliance and its leaders, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of remaining silent on the issue. The BJP MP alleged that the attitude of Trinamool Congress and the INDIA bloc regarding the case is "dangerous."

Kolkata News LIVE updates: The Centre has ordered the heads of institutions to file an FIR within a maximum of six hours in case of violence against any healthcare workers.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: : Four doctors of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Kolkata on Friday amid the ongoing protest over the rape-murder of a trainee doctor, reported ANI.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Junior doctors and medical students at AIIMS Mangalagiri stage a protest and perform a street play to protest against the rape and murder of a woman resident doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Days after a mob vandalised the RG Kar medical college and hospital, where the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor took place, the Calcutta high court said that it is an “absolute failure of state machinery”.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, questioned Mamata Banerjee on the Kolkata murder-rape case, on Friday.

He said, “It would have taken Mamata Banerjee only 70 seconds to hand over the case to the CBI. And she was asking for 7 days to do that.This shows her frustration.”

Meanwhile, the CBI has begun its probe and has visited the victim's family and the scene of the crime.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Dr Gautam Kumar, president RDA, RML Hospital, Delhi, urged Centre to make a Central Protection Act to prevent gruesome incidents.

“The situation in West Bengal is very bad. People are afraid there. We have demanded the Centre to make a Central Protection Act so that such incidents do not happen again. We have received verbal assurance from the government. We will continue the protest till the victim gets justice,” he told ANI.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: The Calcutta high court on Friday took up matters on vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital premises, which took place on the night of August 14 during a midnight protest against the rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Junior doctors at Civil Hospital stage a protest against the rape and murder of a woman resident doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Rape-murder accused Sanjoy Roy is being taken for a medical examination.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: More than 1,000 doctors at private and government hospitals in Goa will stay away from attending outpatient department (OPD) services for 24 hours from August 17 morning to protest the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee physician in Kolkata and seek speedy justice for her.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: The Resident Doctors Association, Government Medical College, Amritsar, has suspended all non-essential and elective hospital services, including OPDs, OTs and wards, beginning today in solidarity and to protest the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The services will be suspended till further notice.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari slammed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the gruesome rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, saying that the CM has been “rejected by people”.

“She knows and realises that the people of Bengal are standing against her. When the women of Bengal are asking for the resignation of the CM, she is trying to deflect the public attention. But the sad part is in her political strategy that it only remains vote bank politics. At this moment, the entire country is asking Mamata Banerjee why this perpetual Hindu hate. Today, people of India have understood and realised that the entire thing which connects Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Wadra, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav is perpetual Hindu hate,” he said.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed outsiders and Opposition parties for vandalism at the RG Kar Hospital, saying 'bam' (the Left) and 'Ram' (the BJP) organised the violence.

"Bam (Left) and Ram (BJP) want to create unrest in Bengal and they both have come together to do this," she said. Read more

Kolkata News LIVE updates: A 12-hour general strike has been called by Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) SUCI (C) in West Bengal to protest against the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar hospital in Kolkata.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: : Amid the ongoing protest in Kolkata over the rape-murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spoke out against the 'unpleasant' incident, saying this "shows the amount of frustration and lack of morality ethics in the society."

In a video released by The Art of Living on Thursday, the spiritual leader said, "A very unpleasant incident has occurred in the recent days that shows the amount of frustration and lack of morality ethics in the society. But at the same time, you see, Navaratri is going to come and women are going to be there. People are dancing and they are partying. All that is happening."

Kolkata News LIVE updates: 19 people have been arrested so far in the vandalism at the RG Kar hospital where the body of a trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered, was found.

“Five of them were identified by social media feedback. If you recognise any of the suspects from our earlier posts, kindly inform us. Thank you for your support and trust,” the Kolkata police wrote on X.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari wrote a letter to the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and the Director of CBI regarding the vandalism that took place at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, and seeking the deployment of CAPF to prevent further destruction of evidence at RG Kar.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday denied allegations of a cover-up in the case of rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. In a video message posted on X, Moitra expressed deep anguish over the incident and said that her heart bleeds for the victim. “This could be me, you. It could be all of us, women,” she said. “The least we can expect is an atmosphere of safety at our workspace.” Read more here

Kolkata News LIVE updates: Bhartiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha will organise silent candle march in all the district headquarters on the evening of August 16 against the rape and murder of a female doctor in West Bengal.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday alleged that vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was an attempt to destroy evidence.

"There is no law and order in West Bengal. 2000-2500 goons barged into the medical college late at night. Doctors were beaten up and threatened, the police remained silent. If a state government is unable to maintain law and order in its capital, then it has no right to remain in power...Attempts were made to destroy evidence...I will reach the RG Kar Medical College tomorrow and protest," Majumdar told ANI.

Kolkata News LIVE updates: A nationwide withdrawal of services has been announced by doctors of modern medicine starting from 6 am on Saturday, August 17 to 6 am Sunday, August 18.

In its official statement, IMA stated that routine OPDs and elective surgeries will not take place during those 24 hours; however, other essential services will be maintained.

“All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all the sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service. IMA requires the sympathy of the nation with the just cause of its doctors,” it said.