Kolkata rape-murder case: Newly Appointed Principal of RG Kar Hospital Sacked

Kolkata: The newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Dr. Suhrita Paul, was removed from her position on Wednesday evening following intensifying student protests over the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor on the college premises, according to India Today.

Dr. Paul, who had assumed the role of dean on August 12, was dismissed after a delegation of students met with officials at the Swasthya Bhavan and organized a march condemning the administration's response to the incident. The protests gained momentum as the student body demanded accountability and transparency in handling the horrific crime.

In addition to Dr. Paul, the hospital superintendent and the head of the Chest Department at RG Kar Medical College were also removed from their posts, as reported by India Today.

Dr. Paul’s appointment coincided with the transfer of the former dean, Sandip Ghosh, to Calcutta’s National Medical College. Ghosh’s sudden transfer and immediate reappointment elsewhere sparked outrage among the medical community and students, who were already reeling from the recent tragic events.

The situation escalated on Wednesday when thousands of senior doctors, nurses, and medical students from across the state marched to the state health department headquarters, questioning the decision to appoint Dr. Paul as principal.

“Our newly-appointed principal, Dr. Suhrita Paul, has gone missing. She is supposed to be our guardian, but she has not returned to the campus since the night the hospital was vandalized. We’ve heard she is operating from Swasthya Bhavan, so we’re headed there to find her,” a junior doctor told PTI.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continued to question former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh for the sixth consecutive day. The agency is expected to submit its progress report on the investigation to the Supreme Court, focusing on inconsistencies in Ghosh's statements.

In a related development, a former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Medical College filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court, seeking an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial irregularities by Ghosh during his tenure at the state-run facility.

The tragic incident came to light on August 9 when the body of a junior doctor was discovered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College, showing signs of multiple serious injuries. The autopsy report revealed that the woman had been raped and strangled to death.