West Bengal Chief Minister Suspends IPS Officers Over Medical College Rape Case

Suspension of IPS Officers

West Bengal's Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, has suspended three IPS officers due to alleged negligence in the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against these officials. The suspended officers include former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, Abhishek Gupta, and Indira Mukhopadhyay. During a press conference at Nabanna, Adhikari accused the officers of attempting to bribe the victim's family and holding a press conference without obtaining written permission.

Brutal Rape and Murder Incident

The tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024 sparked national outrage. This case led to widespread protests by doctors, students, and civil society groups demanding justice, safe workplaces, and accountability from hospital authorities and the West Bengal government. Allegations of evidence tampering, slow police response, and institutional negligence further fueled public anger. Following judicial intervention, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party raised this issue during their election campaign in West Bengal, even granting a ticket to the victim's mother from the Panihati assembly constituency. Ratna Debnath won the election by defeating TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh by a margin of 28,836 votes. Ensuring justice for the RG Kar victim was one of the BJP's key promises ahead of the assembly elections.

Resignation from Nandigram

Chief Minister Adhikari has resigned from the Nandigram seat after deciding to retain the Bhawanipur seat. Speaking to the media, he stated that he would continue to care for the people of Nandigram. He mentioned, "I took an oath from Bhawanipur. According to the rules, I must vacate one seat. I will also keep looking after Nandigram. I will ensure that the people of Nandigram do not feel that Suvendu Adhikari is absent. I have been overseeing this area since the time of Firoza Bibi."