Doctor's diary and notepad contain key; accused to undergo psychological analysis – Firstpost

The investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata is currently focusing on a personal diary of the victim, which was handed over to investigators by the victim's parents.

In addition to this personal diary, a doctor's notebook is also being examined for possible clues, sources told CNN-News18. The diary probably contains important information about the events that led to her death.

The pages would also be scanned to find out if there were any interactions, threats or arguments between her and the accused Sanjay Roy, it said.

The investigating agency has drawn up a list of around 40 people, including doctors and police officers, whom it wants to question as part of its investigation, the official said, adding that they have already questioned more than 20 people so far.

The official said that some psychologists from New Delhi also flew to Calcutta on Saturday to take part in the survey.

Separate teams of the Central Investigation Agency also reached the crime scene at RG Kar Hospital and the barracks of the fourth battalion of the Kolkata Police Force in Salt Lake, where the arrested main accused, volunteer Sanjay Roy, was staying.

NHA calls on states to provide a situation report every two hours

India's Home Ministry has asked all police forces in the state to submit situation reports to it every two hours after doctors, nurses and others protested against the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In a communication to state police, the Home Ministry said that public order in all states must be monitored in view of the protests. “Henceforth, a rolling report on public order in this regard can be sent to the Home Ministry's Control Room (New Delhi) by fax/email/WhatsApp every two hours from 4:00 pm today,” the communication said on Friday.

“I don’t want to be the next victim”

“I don't want to be the next victim,” read placards carried by several women medical workers who took part in a protest march against the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata on Saturday. Hundreds of women medical workers, including doctors and junior doctors, wearing stethoscopes over their white aprons, started their march from Lady Hardinge Medical College on the sixth day of their protest against the incident and to press for their demands, including a central law to curb violence against medical staff.

When they reached Connaught Place, they held a sit-in for about 25 minutes before the police removed the barricades and allowed them to go to Jantar Mantar, where the next phase of their demonstration – a candlelight march – was to begin.

Non-emergency services like OPD and diagnostics, as well as scheduled surgeries at city health facilities including centrally run AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and RML Hospital have been affected since Monday. The inconvenience to patients further increased when staff of private facilities like Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis and Apollo also joined the protests on Sunday after the umbrella body of doctors Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a 24-hour nationwide shutdown of non-emergency services.

IMA seeks intervention from PM Modi

The IMA on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to ensure implementation of its demands, which include a thorough overhaul of the working and living conditions of junior doctors, a central law to curb violence against medical staff at workplace, declaration of hospitals as containment zones with mandatory safety entitlements as a first step, a thorough and professional investigation into the incidents in Kolkata last week and adequate and dignified compensation to the bereaved family.

CBI interrogates former director of RG Kar Hospital for second day

Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh was questioned for several hours by the CBI on Saturday for the second consecutive day as part of its investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at the government medical institution, officials said.

After the questioning on Friday, which lasted until the early hours of Saturday, Ghosh was summoned to the CBI office for another round of questioning, it was said.

He was seen re-entering the CBI office in the CGO complex in Salt Lake shortly before 10.30 am on Saturday with a stack of papers and files and did not leave the premises until the last report was received.

In the latest round of questioning, he was asked about his whereabouts on the night of the death of the postgraduate intern who had called him to inform him of the incident, as well as his primary reaction to it, officials said.

The CBI detectives also confirmed his version with that of doctors, interns and nurses who were on duty at the hospital that night.

During the first round of questioning, the former headmaster was asked about his initial reaction to the news of the doctor's death, who he had instructed to inform the family and how and who contacted the police, officials said. “Some of the answers were muddled. He was questioned until early Saturday and then allowed to go home before being summoned again,” a CBI official told PTI.

Ghosh had resigned from his post two days after the body of the trainee doctor was discovered on August 9. The CBI team also enquired about the weekly duty roster of the pulmonary department, where the victim had to do grueling duty for 36 hours straight or sometimes even 48 hours, he said.

Government sets up security committee; 24-hour IMA strike paralyses OPDs across the country

The government's announcement on Saturday that it would set up a committee to work out measures to improve safety of medical personnel failed to silence protests by medical professionals, who maintained their demand for a central law on the issue and decided to continue their agitation against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

Outpatient services across the country were affected as doctors joined the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest against the incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last week and the subsequent vandalism at the facility.

The association also asked for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in implementing its five demands, which include a central law to curb violence against medical personnel and declaring hospitals as containment zones with mandatory security requirements.

Since Monday, junior doctors have been protesting in government hospitals in various parts of the country, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Haryana.

On Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said that representatives of all stakeholders, including state governments, would be invited to submit their suggestions to the committee. The ministry urged doctors to resume their duties in the interest of the public and in view of the rising number of dengue and malaria cases.

Following the incidents in Kolkata, representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), the IMA and the resident doctors' associations of government medical colleges and hospitals in Delhi met with the Union Health Minister.

While the IMA said it was reviewing the ministry's statement assuring doctors of all possible efforts to ensure their safety and offering to set up a committee to suggest action in this regard, the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) said similar committees had been set up in the past without any significant progress or enactment of relevant legislation.

The IMA said it would respond to the Ministry's statement after carefully examining all aspects and consulting with the state representatives.

On the government's assurances, the AIIMS RDA said the ministry's statement assuring the protesting doctors that a committee would be set up to suggest all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical staff showed a lack of confidence.

It said similar committees had been formed in the past without any significant progress or passage of relevant legislation. “It was unanimously decided to continue the strike as our demands remain unheeded. These include suspension of academic activities, elective OPDs, ward and OT services while maintaining emergency services, ICUs, emergency procedures and emergency OT,” the RDA said in a statement.

With inputs from agencies.