In early August 2024, a terrible crime shocked the city of Kolkata, India. A 31-year-old female doctor, who was still in training, was found dead inside a government hospital. Her body had multiple injuries, and it was later revealed that she had been raped and murdered while on duty. This tragedy sent shockwaves across the country, leading to widespread protests by doctors and activists who demanded justice and better protection for women and medical professionals.
UPDATE: The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata. The incident, which occurred on August 9, involved a 31-year-old resident doctor. A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is scheduled to hear the case on August 20, 2024. This action follows concerns over the handling of the case, including allegations of procedural lapses in the post-mortem and swift cremation of the body, potentially hindering further investigation. The move by the Supreme Court indicates a significant judicial intervention aimed at ensuring justice in this heinous crime.
The young doctor’s parents were initially told that their daughter had committed suicide. However, an autopsy revealed the truth: she had been brutally attacked and killed. The news of this horrific crime sparked outrage, especially among doctors, who felt unsafe in their workplaces. Thousands of doctors in Kolkata and other parts of India began protesting, calling for stronger security measures in hospitals and swift punishment for those responsible.
These protests weren’t just about this one case. They highlighted a much bigger problem—violence against women and medical professionals in India. Many doctors and activists believe that the government and institutions are not doing enough to protect them. They want a central law that would make violence against doctors a non-bailable, punishable offense, hoping that it would deter such crimes in the future.
As protests spread across the country, tensions rose. Some demonstrators even stormed the medical college where the crime occurred, leading to clashes with the police. Despite the unrest, the protests remained largely peaceful, with doctors and activists holding vigils, marches, and sit-ins to demand justice.
The case quickly caught the attention of the highest court in West Bengal, which decided to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI is now responsible for finding out exactly what happened and who was involved. The police have already arrested a suspect, Sanjoy Roy, who was a civic volunteer with access to the hospital. However, the victim’s family suspects that more people were involved and that it might have been a gang rape.
The crime in Kolkata is especially shocking because the city was once considered relatively safe for women. In 2021, Kolkata had the lowest number of reported rape cases among India’s major cities. This tragic incident has now put the city’s reputation at risk and raised serious concerns about women’s safety.
The protests also took on a political dimension. The ruling party in West Bengal, led by Mamata Banerjee, faced criticism from the opposition, including the BJP, which called for her government to be dismissed. Many believe that the case is being used as a political tool, but for the doctors and activists on the ground, the focus remains on justice for the victim and safety for all.
This isn’t the first time doctors in India have protested against violence. In 2019, two junior doctors in Kolkata were assaulted by a mob after a patient died in the hospital. That incident led to similar protests, highlighting the ongoing issue of workplace violence against medical professionals.
As the CBI continues its investigation, doctors and activists are determined to keep up the pressure. They are demanding not only justice for the murdered doctor but also long-term changes that will protect women and doctors from violence. The protests may have started with one tragic incident, but they have grown into a movement demanding a safer and more just society for everyone.
