Failure of state machinery: High Court on hospital vandalism

Kolkata: Expressing concern about the law and order situation at the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the police and the hospital authority to file affidavits on the situation there.

Coming down heavily on the state counsel, the HC observed that "if police personnel were injured and unable to control the mob, then the law and order machinery has failed." The court made the comments while hearing the midnight vandalism incident at the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital during a peaceful protest at the hospital on August 14 midnight.

A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharya noted that it has taken up the matter on vandalism of RG Kar Hospital campus which occurred on the midnight of August 14 after receiving several emails. "We listed this because of emails received about vandalism in the hospital. I have received so many emails on this issue," the Chief Justice said.


"The Rapid Action Force should have prevented the miscreants before entering the RG Kar Hospital.... The incident of attack and ransacking the RG Kar Hospital is an administrative failure," the Chief Justice's bench observed.

The state counsel admitted that 15 cops were injured, including a deputy commissioner who had serious injuries.

The Chief Justice said the incidents of vandalism during the protest marches across the city points to an "absolute failure of state machinery". The court observed that the incidents of such type have never happened in other parts of the country. The court said that the police should place on record the entire sequence of events that led to the vandalism in the hospital.

A mob entered the hospital and vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras on August 14 midnight during the protests.

The Chief Justice asked: "Is it not a failure of the law and order situation? Something should instill confidence in the minds of the people and the students?"