Kolkata: A group of agitating junior doctors on Saturday evening reached West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata's Kalighat area to hold talks to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse.

Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, the delegation comprising around 30 medics arrived at Banerjee's residence at around 6:45 pm, about 45 minutes past the scheduled time for the meeting. The government had, however, invited 15 representatives for the meeting.

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Before departing from their sit-in spot outside Swasthya Bhavan, the health department headquarters, the protesters said they would not settle for anything less than the five demands they had previously placed before the government.

The medics demanded accountability and punishment for those responsible for the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 and "destruction" of evidence; strict action against the former medical college principal Sandip Ghosh; the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam; improved security for healthcare workers; and the eradication of the "threat culture" in government healthcare institutions.

Mamata should be forthright in her comments about action against culprits: Victim's mother 

Kolkata: The mother of the rape-murder victim of RG Medical College and Hospital on Saturday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be forthright in her comments about action against culprits.

Speaking to reporters at her residence on the northern fringes of Kolkata, the victim's mother, however, expressed hope that the discussions between the CM and the agitating doctors would yield results.

"Instead of merely saying that whoever is found guilty would be punished, she should have been more categorical and direct. Considering the destruction of evidence at the crime scene, and the arrest of only one person, we were expecting the CM to be more forthright," she said.

However, she said that any initiative to resolve the deadlock caused by the doctor's 'cease work' at hospitals over the last one month following the incident, was welcome but she also demanded the arrest of all the perpetrators and officials behind the attempted "cover up".

"I wish the state government does not take any punitive action against the agitating doctors who are waging a battle for justice," she said.

Accompanied by DGP Rajiv Kumar, the CM made a surprise visit to the doctors' sit-in site outside the state health department headquarters on Saturday afternoon and urged them to return to work.

"I have come to meet you as your 'didi' (elder sister) not as the chief minister. I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty," she told the protesting doctors. PTI