'Crowd Assessment Failure' in RG Kar Hospital vandalism says CP Vineet Goyal

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal has acknowledged a critical "assessment failure" in managing the recent vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a vigil led to chaos following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

Speaking after the Calcutta High Court criticized the West Bengal government and police over the incident, Goyal defended the police's response. He explained that the police had difficulty anticipating the scale of the leaderless crowd that gathered during the 'Women, Reclaim the Night' vigil. While police officers were deployed and efforts were made to maintain order, the crowd breached barricades and went on a rampage, resulting in significant damage to the hospital property and injury to 15 policemen.

Goyal emphasized that restraint was necessary due to the presence of women in the crowd, and while 25 individuals, including women, have been arrested, the situation required careful management. He also defended the police's investigation into the rape and murder case, refuting rumors and urging trust in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is now handling the case. He criticized the spread of misinformation and stressed that all evidence must be scientific and based on facts rather than speculation.