Kolkata Doctor Murder: Mamata Banerjee removes Police chief, 2 health officials after talks with doctors

Kolkata Doctor Murder: After meeting with the protesting junior doctors, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has agreed to three of the protesters' five demands. The Bengal CM has removed of two top health department officials and the Chief of Kolkata Police.  

Along with it, the police chief for the city's north zone, which includes RG Kar Medical College, the hospital where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered, will be removed.  Though the impasse has been resolved, the protest and ceasework are expected to continue until formal orders are issued.

"I believe the meeting was positive. I'm sure they do, too. Or why else we will sign the minutes of the meeting and they would sign it too?" Banerjee said.

She stated that they have accepted 99 percent of the doctors' demands "because they are our younger brothers".

"I know they say they'll go discuss it and then decide whether to lift the ceasework. But I have asked them to do so, given patients' health, particularly in light of the floods in several regions," the Chief Minister stated.

After the doctors returned, the atmosphere at the protest site became cheerful. The junior doctors said that the state's approval of their demands was a "big victory" for their 38-day strike.  

They stated that lifting the protest and casework can only be done once the government delivers.  "We have only received their verbal assurance," stated a Junior Doctors' Forum representative. Nonetheless, they stated that their other aim was the removal of the hospital's corruption nexus.  "We will also continue to advocate for the removal of the health secretary," said one of the other representatives.