Kolkata: An on-duty medical officer of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) was arrested on Tuesday evening from the ‘Durga Puja Carnival’ show organised by the state government for allegedly wearing a message t-shirt and a badge in solidarity with the doctors agitating over the RG Kar hospital incident. Dr Tapabrata Roy, who was a part of the KMC medical team deployed for the state government programme, alleged he was detained from the Red Road by the police.
“I was not told by the police where they were taking me after I was called by them while I was performing my duty on the Red Road. They clicked several photos of me. I had shown them my official duty slip, posting me on the Red Road,” he said after his release.
As the news of Roy’s arrest spread, a large number of people, including his fellow medics, reached the Maidan police station, demanding his immediate release.
Amid mounting pressure, the police released him.
“I was released on a personal bond,” said Roy, who was wearing a black t-shirt with the message ‘sirdara bikri nei’, which roughly translates to ‘spine not for sale’.
He was also wearing a badge that said ‘protiki anoshon’ or ‘symbolic hunger strike‘ in a show of solidarity with the junior doctors who have been on fast unto death for the last 11 days.
Without elaborating, an officer of the Kolkata Police told PTI that it was a “preventive arrest“.
Roy is posted in KMC’s ward 123, which comprises parts of the Barisha area in southwest Kolkata.
The stand-off between the doctors and the police over Roy’s arrest added fresh fuel to the fire of protest that was lighted by the rape and murder of a medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
The state government organised the show with much pomp amid the fast unto death by the junior doctors, demanding justice for the deceased medic.
