Kolkata rape and murder: Who are the alleged culprits who vandalised RG Kar Hospital? | Latest news from India

The mob entered the premises of RG Kar Hospital – where protests were underway against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor – and caused damage to the protest site, vehicles and public property. They also vandalised the hospital's emergency room, nursing ward and medicine store and damaged CCTV equipment. Follow LIVE updates here.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused opposition parties of being behind the vandalism. “Some outsiders who are political elements and want to create unrest in Bengal – the Left and the BJP – have jointly started this,” she said.

Who was arrested?

Those arrested by the West Bengal police include Trinamool Congress workers, some women and delivery workers. The Indian Express has reported.

Many of those arrested had left their homes to take part in protests against the rape and murder of the junior doctor, but were ultimately accused of vandalism.

One of those arrested, Soumik Das, is a fitness trainer and employee of the local TMC, according to the newspaper. His family said Das was influenced by emotions.

“He has not been home since the incident. The police came and asked us to take him to the station, but he was eventually arrested elsewhere. He regrets what he did; he was guided by his emotions,” his aunt told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

“Ask the party whether he worked for them or not. Ask anyone here – they will tell you that he was a party worker (TMC). He was not alone; other youths also went with him,” she added.

Another accused, Debashish Mondol, works as a delivery man at a local grocery store. His father said his son went to the protests but did not return.

He said his son went to the candlelight march after dinner but did not return. He said he saw the photo of him standing on a police line the next day.

“On August 15, the police came and I told them he was just a passerby. They didn't listen to me. Later we went to the police station and he turned himself in,” he said.

Tusi Haldar, a 19-year-old student, is also accused of vandalism by the West Bengal police. A photo of her shared by the police shows her in the hospital emergency room building with a bamboo in her hand.

Her mother said the family had gone to join the protest, but for some reason Tulsi Haldar got caught up in a commotion.

Rape and murder of a doctor

The aspiring doctor was raped and murdered on August 9 in a seminar room at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta.

The crime occurred late at night in the seminar hall on the third floor of the pulmonary department. Police later said that numerous cuts and wounds were found on her body.

Although Sanjoy Roy, the main accused, has been arrested, the investigating authorities are yet to rule out the involvement of others in the crime. The crime has sparked widespread outrage and led to protests within and outside the medical community.