An incident of vandalism and an attack on protestors at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital following an horrific case of rape and murder has led to the arrest of 25 people, in India’s West Bengal state. The incident, which occurred on 14 August, involved a mob causing substantial damage to the hospital campus, including vehicles and public property. The unrest was triggered by the brutal rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the same hospital a week prior, which has caused widespread outrage across India, ANI reported.

The case has also made front pages across the world sparking an international outcry against continued cases of sexual violence leading to rape and even the murder of women in India.

According to a report by Economic Times, closer to India, Pakistan and Nepal have condemned the atrocity, demanding thorough investigations and punishment for those responsible. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Left and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to incite unrest in the state. She asserted that those involved in the hospital vandalism were not linked to the ongoing student protests at RG Kar Medical College but were external agitators with political motives.

Banerjee praised the police for exercising restraint, noting that several officers, including a deputy commissioner, were injured during the chaos and required hospitalisation. The investigation into the rape and murder case has been transferred to India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI team has begun gathering evidence, including digital records, and has summoned four doctors from the hospital for questioning.

The primary suspect, Sanjoy Roy, was subjected to a medical examination as part of the ongoing inquiry. The incident has sparked protests nationwide, with medical students and junior doctors staging demonstrations, including a significant protest at Hyderabad’s Gandhi Hospital. Despite concerns that the vandalism might have compromised the crime scene, Kolkata Police assured the public that the room where the crime occurred remains intact, warning against the spread of misinformation.

Adding to the tension, West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar accused the Trinamool Congress-led government of failing to maintain law and order, suggesting the vandalism was a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence linked to the case.

The continuing unrest raises questions about the handling of the investigation and the implications for West Bengal’s security and governance.