RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh resigns; reassigned to Cal Nat’l Med College

Kolkata: Facing a backlash over the alleged incident of rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, its principal Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh resigned from his post and also from the government service on Monday morning taking “moral responsibility”.

State health department, however, in an order in the evening said that Ghosh would now be acting as the principal of the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.

Prof (Dr) Suhrita Paul, who was currently posted as OSD, Swasthya Bhawan would act as the principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Prof (Dr) Ajay Kumar Ray, principal of the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital would work as the OSD, Swasthya Bhawan, said the order. In a parallel development, the name of Dr Debasish Halder of the West Bengal Public Health-cum-Administrative Services, who was currently posted as Joint Director of Health Services (DHS), NCD, Swasthya Bhawan has been announced as the new DHS. The state Health department on Monday afternoon issued an order saying that Halder would be acting as DHS from the date he joined the office. Earlier in the day, Ghosh said that he was being defamed on social media. As the victim was like his daughter, he resigned from his post as he is also “a parent”.

“I am getting defamed on social media... There is a conspiracy to remove me from my position. I never asked what the doctor was doing at the seminal hall. Dirty politics is being played over the unfortunate incident.

The deceased doctor was like my daughter. As a parent, I resign...I don’t want this to happen to anyone in future,” Ghosh said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while reacting to Ghosh’s resignation said: “The Principal of RG Kar Medical College has resigned. He said that he was being abused. We have told him that he is not required to work there. We have put him in another place.” The protesting doctors at the hospital have demanded to see the resignation letter of the principal.

Incidentally, the RG Kar Medical College and hospital medical superintendent Sanjay Vashishth was removed on Sunday from his position.