Cops Post Rioters' Pics After Vandalism During Kolkata Rape-Murder Protest

Kolkata Police have put out photographs of the mob that went on the rampage at RG Kar Memorial College and Hospital last night during the massive protest against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the campus last week. Sharing photos on Facebook with the faces of the rioters circled, the city police have sought information from the public that can help identify the individuals.

Last night, when women across West Bengal and in several other cities of the country were on a 'reclaim the night' protest over the chilling rape-murder incident, a mob damaged public property, vandalised vehicles and stormed the hospital building.

Visuals of the rioters damaging property inside have gone viral. Police had to use teargas shells to bring the situation under control. Several cops were injured in the clash.

Amid claims that the rioters had left the crime scene -- a seminar hall on the fourth floor -- compromised, Kolkata Police have said the crime scene was not touched and warned social media users against spreading rumours.

The mob attack has, meanwhile, intensified the political row over the heinous crime on the premises of the government-run hospital.

Leader of the Opposition, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, has alleged that the rioters were sent by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to disrupt the apolitical protest rally near the hospital.

"Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protesters would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

"They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn't get picked up by the CBI," the BJP leader said.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress general secretary, said the vandalism at the hospital "exceeded all acceptable limits". Mr Banerjee said he had spoken to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for the violence is identified and held accountable within next 24 hours, "regardless of their political affiliations". "The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised," Mr Banerjee said in a post on X.

The doctor's rape-murder case is now being probed by the CBI after the Calcutta High Court noted that the city police's probe has made no significant progress and that the victim's parents fear that evidence may be destroyed unless an independent agency carries out a court-monitored probe.