'SC Will Ensure Justice In Kolkata Rape-Murder': US-Based Doctor From Kolkata

Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: A US-based doctor who has contributed immensely to India's polio elimination efforts and measles surveillance initiatives on Thursday said that the perpetrators of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata should be rapidly brought to justice. 

Seattle-based Dr Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay is currently in India to address a seminar on polio in Chennai later this week. He opined that the incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was a "colossal failure" of the West Bengal administration.

"I think we all are together in the demand for justice in the rape and murder of the doctor. The perpetrators should be brought to justice and proceedings should happen as rapidly as possible. We are hoping that the Supreme Court of the country will ensure that there is justice," Bandyopadhyay told PTI.

"I think there is an acute lack of accountability. The first thing that strikes me is how the authorities have failed to prevent this from happening. What we are talking about now are repercussions, reactions, and corrective actions, but I think that we shouldn't forget that the authorities failed to prevent this from happening, and that is simply shocking," Bandyopadhyay said.

"If this can happen to a government doctor, then it's a colossal failure in terms of the basic protection that the authorities need to provide and ensure on the premises. So, it's shocking," he said.

Reflecting on his days at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, the global health professional criticised the administration for failing to ensure the safety of frontline health workers and pointed out a lack of accountability.

He also said that corrective action needs to happen on all the hospital premises.

"The corrective actions should include that there are honest systems in place and there is leadership at the level of the hospitals, health authorities administration who are accountable and if lapses happen then there should be accountability," he said.

Bandyopadhyay, who participated in a couple of rallies in the city, also said that the "sadness" of people is not fake and it has spread across the globe.

"I have come from Seattle. I can tell you that the Indian community there is frustrated and in deep sadness... And I am seeing that this is no different in Kolkata," he added.