Kolkata doctor rape case: RG Kar ex-principal Sandip Ghosh says ‘receiving life threats’, approaches HC for protection

Amid the outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee female doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, former principal of the institution, Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh claimed that his life was at risk and had approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection. Meanwhile, the court has asked the state government to provide him with police protection.

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

Sandip Ghosh resigned from the position of principal at RG Kar Medical College on Monday alleging that he was being defamed on social media platforms following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on the hospital premises.

A division bench of the Calcutta HC considered several PILs in the matter on Tuesday. During the hearing, the chief justice questioned the appointment of the former principal.

The 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered inside the medical college in Kolkata where she worked on Friday, triggering nationwide protests among doctors and drawing parallels to the notorious gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi in 2012.

The doctor had retired to sleep on a piece of carpet in a seminar room at the RG Kar Medical College after a marathon 36-hour shift, given the lack of dorms or resting rooms for doctors on the premises, her colleagues told Reuters. She was found dead on Friday.

The victim was found bleeding from her eyes and mouth, with injuries to her legs, stomach, ankles, right hand and finger, a doctor's inquest report on August 9 and accessed by Reuters said.

(With inputs from agencies)