Kolkata rape-murder case: WB Govt removes top health officials following junior doctors’ demands

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 17 (ANI): Dr Kaustav Nayak and Dr Debashis Halder have been removed from the posts of Director of Medical Education (DME) and Director of Health Services (DHS) from the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the West Bengal Government on Tuesday.

The decision comes after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agreed to the demands made by junior doctors protesting the recent rape and murder case at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Along with these changes, the Director of the Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Suparna Dutta, and Joint DHS, Dr Swapan Soren, have also been removed from the posts.

According to the notification by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Nayak will assume the post of the Director of the Institute of Health and Family Welfare and Haldar as Officer on Special Duty for Public Health in Swasthya Bhawan.

Meanwhile, Soren has been appointed as the DHS in charge; however, the state has yet to appoint someone for the position of the DME.

Earlier today, IPS Manoj Kumar Verma was appointed as the new Commissioner of Police (CP) for Kolkata, following the removal of Vineet Kumar Goyal from the position.

This came following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the protesting junior doctors, after which she announced that most of their demands had been met, including the removal of Kolkata CP Vineet Kumar Goyal and certain officials from the health department.

“Given the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal has said in the meeting that he is ready to resign,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing the protesting doctors on Tuesday.

She said Vineet Goyal would hand over the responsibility to the new CP at 4 pm on Tuesday, adding that her government has decided to accept demands laid down by junior doctors.

“We tried listening to junior doctors…we have decided to change the DC (Kolkata Police Commissioner)…he agreed to resign himself…in the health department, they demanded the removal of 3 persons and we agreed for 2. We have agreed 99 per cent, what else can we do? We have requested the junior doctors to come back to work so that the common citizens won’t suffer,” she said.