New Delhi: The investigation into the death of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata has taken a dramatic turn, with a leaked video of the crime scene sparking a fierce debate about the identity and role of a man in a red T-shirt.
The video, which surfaced on Friday, shows a man in red standing close to the deceased doctor’s body in the seminar room. This scene has ignited suspicions among junior doctors and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The IMA, citing the individual as Avik De, a doctor and alleged member of the influential “North Bengal Lobby,” questioned his presence at the crime scene, as he is not affiliated with R G Kar Medical College, which police identified as a fingerprint expert.
“When did Dr Avik De become a fingerprint expert as stated by Kolkata Police?” the IMA Bengal questioned. The doctors’ association has been demanding the dismantling the “North Bengal lobby,” a group accused of wielding significant power within the state’s healthcare system.
Kolkata Police, however, maintained its claim that the man in red was a fingerprint expert in the investigating team. They refuted any wrongdoing by their team, stating that they are accountable for their actions and are open to independent probes.
“We stand firmly with whatever we stated on Friday. We are not liable to answer for everyone wearing a red shirt or T-shirt and who might present at the seminar hall on Aug 9 unless they have entered the restricted area which we had cordoned off. We are, however, accountable for our probe team and have already identified each one present in the footage,” said an officer who has led the probe for KP. Lalbazar did not put out an official statement on Saturday. “Anyone not satisfied with our explanations can take the footage to the CBI or any court of law. We will welcome any independent probe into our role. We will be selective in our response so as not to impede the probe,” a source in the Kolkata Police was quoted as saying by The Times Of India.
The debate has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the investigation, with the presence of non-R G Kar officials at the crime scene raising further concerns about potential influence and misconduct. Junior doctors, from the outset, have expressed scepticism about the presence of individuals who were not part of the college staff or police at the crime scene.Amidst the growing controversy, De, a first-year PGT in general surgery at IPGMER, has been absent from campus since Wednesday.
