Kolkata, August 22: Professor Manas Kumar Bandopadhyay has been appointed the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

This development comes a week after Prof Suhrita Paul was appointed to the post. Paul has been appointed the principal of Barasat Government Medical College and Hospital, as per a notification issued by the West Bengal Health Department.

Earlier, the Health Department cancelled the appointment of Prof Sandip Ghosh as the Principal of National Medical College & Hospital following the Calcutta High Court directive. Ghosh was the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Ghosh resigned from the position of principal at RG Kar Medical College alleging that he was being defamed on social media platforms following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital premises. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: AAP Women’s Wing Holds Protest at Rajghat in Delhi Demanding Justice for Deceased Medic.

The rape and murder of the trainee doctor has sparked nationwide protests. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and constituted a National Task Force to recommend guidelines to ensure the safety of medical professionals. A CBI investigation into the matter is underway. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: Supreme Court Mandates CISF Deployment at RG Kar Hospital Following Junior Doctor's Death.

The top court said that it is deeply concerned about the safety of doctors across India. "If women cannot go to work and be safe, we are denying them the basic right to equality. We have to do something" the court said. The top court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the status of the investigation in the rape case. Also, the court asked the West Bengal government to file a status report on the mob attack incident that took place at the RG Kar hospital on August 15. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.