Kolkata

RG Kar case: Junior doctors to distribute leaflets at Kolkata puja pandals

Agitating junior doctors will distribute leaflets outlining their demands for justice for their murdered colleague at various Durga Puja pandals across the city on Wednesday besides holding a blood donation camp, one of the agitating medics said. "Tomorrow we will hold a blood donation camp and distribute leaflets at various puja pandals, highlighting our demands. The mass resignation of our senior doctors earlier during the day has boosted our confidence, but we believe that the West Bengal government is exerting pressure on them," junior medic Debasish Halder said on Tuesday night. Seven junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death since Saturday night, supported by several senior colleagues who joined them in solidarity. Earlier during the day, more than 50 doctors at RG Kar hospital tendered mass resignations to back the junior doctors' cause. However, the state government claimed it had not received any such resignation letters. "The state cannot remain silent. They must eng

Kolkata slowly gets into Durga Puja spirit as retail, sponsors bounce back

Retail, restaurant, sponsorship scene gradually recovers from the strain of protests and the absence of Bangladeshi shoppers

Kolkata rape-murder case: What does the CBI chargesheet against Sanjay Roy reveal?

Malaysia Airlines to resume Kuala Lumpur-Kolkata flights on December 2

Malaysia Airlines will restart direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata from December 2 as the carrier boosts its services to India. Currently, the airline connects Kuala Lumpur directly with nine Indian cities -- New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Amritsar, Trivandrum and Ahmedabad. Five weekly flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the Kuala Lumpur-Kolkata route starting from December 2, the airline said in a release on Tuesday. Malaysia Airlines stopped direct flights to Kolkata in 2006. With the recommencement of the Kuala Lumpur-Kolkata services, the airline will offer 76 weekly flights between India and Malaysia. Currently, the carrier operates 71 weekly flights to India. The flights to Amritsar were increased from four per week to daily in August. "India is a key market for us, and by continually enhancing our network and increasing frequencies, we aim to deliver exceptional travel experiences, complemented by Malaysia Airline

Kolkata case: Doctors' association calls for nationwide strike on Oct 9

Kolkata case updates: The CBI on Monday filed a chargesheet naming Sanjoy Roy as sole accused in connection with the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

RG Kar rape-murder case: CBI files chargesheet, Sanjoy Roy sole accused

The CBI chargesheet says that accused Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with the local police, allegedly committed the crime on August 9 at the premises of the RG Kar College and Hospital in Kolkata

RG Kar case: Junior doctors continue fast-unto-death, demand justice

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal continued their fast-unto-death for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a woman medic of the RG Kar hospital and workplace safety even as the state government remained silent to address their issues. Six junior medics have been on the fast-onto-death since Saturday evening and later one more joined them. "Our fast-unto-death protest is on. We have not received any message from the state government. We will continue this until all our demands are met. No external pressure will be able to move us from our path of protest seeking justice for our deceased sister... It's now or never," Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor, told PTI. Mahato of RG Kar hospital joined Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata medical college, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM hospital, Pulastha Acharya of NRS medical college and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC medical college for the fast-unto-death protest. The jun

RG Kar case overshadows Durga Puja festival in WB, celebrations unlikely

Durga puja, West Bengal's biggest carnival, is likely to be subdued this year as calls to boycott the festivities grow in response to protests over the brutal rape-murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar hospital in August, casting a shadow over the city's festive spirit. The killing of the doctor on duty at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 has ignited profound emotional turmoil across the state, as the vibrant excitement of Durga puja has been overshadowed by the troubling paradox of worshipping the goddess of strength and protection while real-life women continue to face grave dangers. As Kolkata grapples with this tragedy, the city stands at a crossroads between tradition and change, torn between devotion to the goddess Durga, symbolising strength, protection, and justice, and the harsh reality of daily violence and injustice faced by women. It appears that this year's Durga puja will be much more subdued due to the RG Kar incident and the ongoing protests

RG Kar case: Docs continue sit-in, wait for state to fulfill their demands

Despite calling off their 'total cease work' on Friday evening, agitating junior doctors continued their sit-in in central Kolkata throughout the night alleging that police lathi-charged a few of them during a rally to press for justice for the deceased woman doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The junior doctors called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals around 8.30 pm on Friday, but threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours. "When you are fighting for a significant cause, you cannot expect things to be easy. We anticipated better treatment from the state government. The lathi charge and the verbal abuse from police were both unnecessary, and we demand an apology," Debasish Halder, a representative of the protesting junior medics, told PTI. "We will not vacate this place until that is provided," he added. Medics from RG Kar Medical College, alongside the

RG Kar case: Arrested doc Pandey in CBI custody; Ghosh to judicial remand

A court here on Friday sent arrested former principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, and now-suspended police officer Abhijit Mondal to 14-day judicial custody. A special CBI court also sent another doctor, Ashish Pandey, to three-day custody of the central agency till October 7. Producing Ghosh and Mondal before Alipore court here, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claimed that Ghosh had conspired with Mondal to suppress the incident of rape and murder of an on-duty woman medic at the hospital. The central probe agency cited findings of the forensic tests conducted on the mobile phone devices of the duo and pleaded before the court for their custody for further questioning, official sources said. Stating that the investigation into the rape-murder incident "was underway in full swing", the CBI also claimed that Ghosh tried to mislead investigators by describing the doctor's death as a case of suicide, they said. The agency also claimed that Ghosh w

Even as cities worldwide modernise trams, India consigns them to museums

With the state government announcing its decision to eliminate tram services, a network that has shrunk rapidly since the nineties, fleeting images come to mind

RG Kar case: WB's doctors hold meeting to decide future course of action

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal went into a huddle late on Thursday to decide their future course of action after a section of senior medics urged them to reconsider their 'complete cease work' in light of the sufferings of ordinary patients. The junior doctors renewed their 'cease work' on October 1 after an attack on medics by a patient's family at the state-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital in the last week of September. Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors, told reporters, "We will hold a general body meeting at R G Kar hospital shortly. It may take time, but we will inform you of our decision by early tomorrow morning." Asked if they would consider a partial withdrawal of the agitation due to the ongoing sufferings of patients, the flood situation, and the upcoming Durga Puja festival, Mahato responded, "We will discuss everything. We need to assess the current situation since our demands for security have so far not been addressed by the ...

RG Kar case: North Bengal Medical College holds torch-light rally

Meanwhile, doctors from private hospitals lit earthen lamps at Ganga Ghat in Kolkata as a mark of protest against the same incident

RG Kar case: Healthcare services affected in WB as medics resume cease work

Healthcare services were affected in West Bengal as junior doctors continued their cease work on Wednesday over a host of demands, including proper security at state-run hospitals in the wake of the rape and murder and of their colleague. The junior doctors went on to cease work after the body of their colleague was found at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. They partially returned to work on September 21 after 42 days, resuming essential services after the government promised to address most of their concerns. However, alleging that the government did not fulfil its promises, the doctors went on to cease work on Tuesday. "The cease work is going on as of now. However, there is a possibility of reconsidering the complete cease work as a section of senior doctors has different opinions about it. We will hold meetings with all stakeholders to decide the way forward as we too don't want to stay away from work unless the situation compels us," Subhendu Mallick, one of

Kolkata doctor case: Junior doctors resume strike; know why

Kolkata RG Kar case: Doctors resume 'indefinite strike', list 10 demands

Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on October 1 and criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation for the slow pace of their inquiry

Bengal junior doctors resume 'total cease work', to hold march on Oct 2

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on Tuesday to press for various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments. The junior doctors had on September 21 rejoined their duties partially at government hospitals after a 42-day protest. They were on a 'cease work' agitation to protest the rape and murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. "We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfill our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day of the protest (since August 9) and we are still being attacked and there is no attempt to keep the other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the given situation, we are left with no option other than opting for full cease work, starting today," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI. "Unless we see clear action from the state ...

WB: 4 detained after junior docs protest at Sagore Dutta Medical College

West Bengal Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam also visited the hospital to meet with the junior doctors and nurses

West Bengal govt to discontinue Kolkata's 150-year-old tram service

Tram services in Kolkata are being terminated due to traffic issues, except for one route from Esplanade to Maidan

Docs' cease work stir at WB hospital continues after patient kin's assault

Junior doctors and nurses continued their 'cease work' agitation at state-run Sagar Dutta Hospital in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday in protest against assault on staffers by the relatives of a patient. The staffers of the hospital located in Kamarhati near Kolkata launched the 'cease work' protest late on Friday after some of them were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the patient who died during treatment. Three junior doctors along with three nurses and healthcare workers were injured in the incident, a junior doctor said. The junior doctors and nurses subsequently called for a 'cease work' stir demanding better security arrangements. The condition of the patient, a middle-aged woman who suffered from acute breathing problems, was critical, he said. "The patient was admitted to the hospital on Friday with breathing difficulties. Her condition was not good and healthcare workers attempted to administer oxygen but it was too late and she died. But her