RG Kar rape and murder case: Who is Vineet Goyal

After a long meeting with protesting doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday evening announced the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, the Director of Health Services and the Director of Medical Education. The move was taken in response to the demands of junior doctors, who have been protesting for over a month after the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Resignation in response to doctor’s requests

At the meeting at her residence, Banerjee said Goyal had volunteered to resign, citing the allegations against the Kolkata Police. “In response to the demands of the junior doctors, Vineet Goyal himself has said that he is ready to resign,” the chief minister said. The name of Goyal’s replacement will be revealed after 4 pm on Tuesday.

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Who is Vineet Goyal?

Vineet Goyal, a senior IPS officer of the 1994 batch, took over as the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata in December 2021, succeeding Soumen Mitra. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur, Goyal has held various key positions in the Kolkata Police, including Deputy Commissioner, Eastern Suburbs Division, Special Branch and Headquarters. He has even served as Assistant Commissioner, Special Task Force and Traffic, as well as ACP. Goyal is a decorated officer, having been awarded two Police Medals for Gallantry, a Meritorious Service Medal and the Chief Minister’s Medal for Exceptional Service.

Allegations against Goyal

Goyal has been heavily criticised for his handling of the August 14 incident at RG Kar Hospital, where a protest by junior doctors turned violent. Doctors accused him of mishandling the situation and tampering with evidence related to the crime. Protesters have demanded his resignation over the alleged blunders.

Goyal defends his actions

In his defence, Goyal said on August 15 that fake news spread on social media had eroded public trust in the police. He claimed that the police had tried their best to handle the situation, even though they were initially unprepared for the violence at RG Kar Hospital. Goyal added that the police had handed over all evidence, including the videotaped autopsy, to the CBI, which is now leading the investigation. He assured the public that the police had been completely transparent and were not shielding anyone involved in the crime.

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