Bengal Teacher to Return Banga Ratna Award in Protest Against Kolkata Rape-Murder Case

Kolkata: As anger continues to mount over Kolkata rape-murder case, a teacher from Alipurduar in the state, who was honoured with the Banga Ratna award by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2019, has decided to return the award as a mark of protest.

The teacher, Parimal Dey, announced the decision as a reaction to state government's response to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital incident in which a 31-year-old trainee doctor was rape and murder at the state-run hospital.

Speaking about ANI, Parimal said, "I have decided to return the Banga Ratna award. The way protests happened in Bengal and outside, it is my conscience's call that it should give it back. I support the protest. The way she (Mamata Banerjee) is running the administration is not right."

Earlier on Sunday, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum protested in Tollygunge seeking justice for the Abhaya and urging the Kolkata administration to take responsibility.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday raided multiple locations connected to former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and other staff of the hospital.

On Saturday, the CBI filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Dr Sandip Ghosh based on directives from the Calcutta High Court. The investigation was initiated after a single bench of the High Court ordered the CBI to probe the alleged corruption at the medical college.

The Calcutta High Court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation, which is to be presented on September 17. 

Earlier, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the security of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while hearing the suo motu case concerning the rape and murder of the trainee doctor.
The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. 

(With ANI inputs)