Kolkata bans public gatherings outside RG Kar Hospital for 7 days; govt seeks 2-hourly situation report

The Kolkata administration has banned all protests, rallies, processions, dharnas or demonstrations around RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for the next seven days. This came after the administration reportedly received inputs from ‘credible sources' about the law and order situation. The ban came into effect at midnight on August 18. 

Kolkata Executive Magistrate and Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (earlier Section 144 of CrPC) restricting protests and large gatherings around the hospital where the 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered.

"On assessment of the law and order situation of the area (RG Kar hospital) in regard to the inputs received from credible sources, there are sufficient reasons of violent demonstrations, rallies, meetings by a section of public or an organisation thereby causing breach of peace, disturbance of public tranquillity, health of safety, danger to human life, Section 163 of BNSS is imposed", the order read.

The order is the result of the widespread protest – the epicentre for which is the hospital – demanding justice for the doctor.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has directed all state police forces to provide situation reports every two hours following protests by doctors, nursing staff, and others. In a communication to state police forces, the ministry emphasised the need to monitor the law and order situation in light of the protests. The ministry requested that two-hourly reports be sent to the MHA control room in New Delhi via fax, email, or WhatsApp, starting from 1600 hours on Friday. 

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the state-run hospital. A civic volunteer of Kolkata Police was arrested the next day. The Calcutta High Court has since handed the case over to the CBI. Protests erupted at the hospital shortly after Wednesday midnight, leading to vandalism. Medical staff across the country are protesting, affecting healthcare services. They are demanding a central law to prevent violence against healthcare personnel and to declare hospitals as safe zones with mandatory security.

The Indian Medical Association, the chief doctors' body in India, demanded the implementation of the Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, also known as the Central Protection Act. It staged a nationwide 24-hour protest that began at 6 am on Saturday.