Authored By: Sarabjit Thakur
Sister Nivedita University
Introduction:
On 9 August 2024, a 31-year-old woman postgraduate trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was raped and killed brutally on the premises of the college. Her killing caused widespread outrage, nationwide protests, and national soul-searching regarding the safety of doctors and women in Indian institutions.
Chronology and Incident Details:
– August 8–9, 2024: The victim was working out a 36-hour shift. She returned from dinner with sta to a seminar room to rest. Early next morning, her semi-nude, brutally battered body was found by employees.
– Autopsy injuries included deep lacerations in her genital tract, lips, limbs, neck, and face, and internal bleeding from eyes, mouth, and genitals showing sexual assault and strangulation. Forensic experts registered signs of possible genital torture, leading to speculations of gang rape, although later ruled out by CBI.
– College ocials first reported to her family that she committed suicide, raising suspicion and outrage.
Immediate Aftermath;
– August 10–13, 2024: Sanjay Roy, aged 33, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police Disaster Management Force, was arrested. He admitted at primary interrogation, without remorse. Public and the victim’s family demanded an investigation outside Kolkata Police. The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the case.
– Demonstrations took place in all medical colleges and hospitals around the country led by junior doctors for justice and increased security.
Investigation
Autopsy and Forensics;
– Autopsy cemented rape and murder, with traces of sexual assault and strangulation. Early gossip surrounding gang rape was dismissed by authorities due to forensic explanation. The case attracted massive media and social interest, increasing pressure on authorities.
Arrests and Charges;
– A number of people, ranging from hospital personnel to principal Sandip Ghosh, were investigated for tampering with evidence, delay in registering the FIR, and suspected financial malpractices. Ghosh was arrested twice on suspicion of financial fraud and misconduct in handling the murder investigation.
– The CBI subjected Sanjay Roy to psychological and polygraph examinations, revealing discrepancies in his alibi and lack of remorse.
Political and Administrative Fallout;
– Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh quit in face of outrage. His immediate re-appointment as principal by another hospital triggered additional protests and suspension by medical associations.
– CBI and Enforcement Directorate initiated simultaneous investigations into hospital corruption involving Ghosh and other senior ocials.
– Protests turned violent into police-demonstrator clashes, leading to injuries and arrests. The issue became a cause célèbre for public order in Kolkata.
National and International Response;
– Mass medical strikes, halted hospital services in New Delhi, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Goa, and other states. Doctors clamored for protection under the law and secure working conditions.
– Social movements with ‘Women, Reclaim the Night’ marches and student protests were experienced in Kolkata and overseas.
– The Indian diaspora organized solidarity marches in Australia, UK, Germany, Bangladesh, and several other nations, transforming the event into an international symbol for violence against women and professionals.
Judicial Intervention
Role of Supreme Court;
– The Supreme Court, under Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, took suo moto cognizance on 18 August 2024 following apprehension over state management and wider implications for physician safety. It heard the case several times in August and September and established a National Task Force to mandate countrywide safety measures for medical ocers while on duty.
– The bench condemned the tardiness in the registration of the FIR, botching of evidence, and the eort by the hospital authorities to stage the death as a suicide.
– The Court directed the CBI to file periodic status reports and urged authorities not to target peaceful protesters or striking physicians.
– Doctors’ associations attributed the intervention of the Court with giving their protests a “healing touch” and credibility.
Legislative Changes;
– The government of West Bengal reacted by enacting the Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment), 2024, which introduced the death penalty for some cases of sexual assault and new fast-track provisions. Opponents saw the law as a symbolic gesture instead of a real change.
Outcome
Conviction;
– Sanjay Roy was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on 18 January 2025 under freshly updated laws. Judge Anirban Das refused to sentence him to death, terming it not one of the “rarest of rare” cases and directed ₹17 lakh compensation to the victim’s family.
– Politicians, doctors, and the family of the victim were unhappy, arguing that Roy should have been given a stricter sentence and deprecating the CBI procedures and larger institutional lapses.
– Administrative charges against hospital personnel and police continue to include evidence destruction and corruption.
National Task Force;
– A 9-member National Task Force was established with medical and government representatives, which widely consulted and started drafting rigorous safety guidelines for physicians.
– Suggestions consisted of CCTV surveillance, better sta management, professional security forces for hospitals, and changes in workplace legislation for medical sta.
Impact;
– The case attracted constant discussion on violence against women, medical sta safety, criminal justice reforms, and the responsibility of institutional cover-ups and corruption.
– It stimulated public activism, solidarity movements, and long-term professional demands for reform.
– Legal action, hospital administration investigations, and policy reactions remain under close scrutiny by the media, medical organizations, and civil society.
Conclusion;
The RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case remains a clear reminder of the predicament of professionals, particularly women, working in Indian public sector institutions. The outrage generated by the event resulted in far-reaching changes in governance, law enforcement, workplace safety policy, and public consciousness. The trial and investigation highlighted systemic shortcomings, but ultimately led to incremental advancement towards institutional responsibility and social change.
Reference(S):
Supreme Court Observer Coverage[1]
Wikipedia 2024 Kolkata Rape and Murder[2]
Supreme Court Criticism of FIR Delay[3]
