The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to appoint retired police, army, navy or air force officers for supervision of security arrangements at important healthcare establishments in the state in the wake of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital hereon August 9.

“For supervision of the security arrangements at the important Government Hospitals i.e Medical College & Hospital, District Hospital and Super Specialty Hospital, retired Police/ Army/ Navy/ Air Force Officials shall be deployed,” read an order issued by the additional director-general (law and order) of police, Manoj Verma, on Tuesday.

The order, sent to all superintendents of police in the state, said police officers who had retired in the past two years could be considered for the positions. The officers who were in the ranks of inspectors, deputy police superintendents and additional superintendents and are physically fit now are proposed for the purpose.

Similarly, those who had retired from the army, navy and air force in the ranks of naib subedar, subedar, captain or major could be appointed to the positions.

“District administrations have to send to Nabanna at the earliest the names ofwilling persons who meet the criteria. The names of retired army, navy or air force officers could be sourced from the District Sainik Kalyan Board,” said a senior officialat Nabanna.

Health secretary N.S. Nigam held a meeting with authorities of all major hospitals on Monday when enhancing security arrangements at the medical establishments was discussed in detail.

“Representatives of all hospitals said private security agencies handled security arrangements at the facilities. Only medical colleges have a small police outpost on the premises. It was decided at the meeting that thegovernment would appoint experienced officials to monitor the security arrangements,” said a senior official.

The government is laying stress on beefing upsecurity arrangements at the healthcare establishments to send a message to doctors who have been on the warpath since the juniordoctor’s murder.

“The main demand of the agitating doctors is better security at the hospitals, apart from proper punishment for the culprit/s. The CBI is probing the case and the state is doing what it can — taking up measures to enhance security at the hospitals,” said another senior bureaucrat.

He said an experienced officer could manage security at the hospitals in a better way.