The tragic rape and murder of the female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital have drawn nationwide outrage, leading to protests by junior doctors who have halted work to demand justice for the victim.
Amid protests demanding women’s safety, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a resident doctor was raped and murdered, was targeted by a massive mob during a demonstration. The Kolkata rape case has brought medical services to a standstill as students and doctors continue to demand justice for the resident PG doctor.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it’s a “big crime” and the accused should hanged to death. Her statement came after vandalism and rampage incidents were reported outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The Fateful Night
A second-year postgraduate trainee doctor spent her night just like any other night. She had dinner with her juniors and decided to go take some rest at 2 am, early morning.
Due to a lack of rest space in the hospital, the doctor decided to go rest in the seminar hall, considering it safe to rest.
Cut to next morning when her body was discovered semi-nude inside a seminar hall on August 9, after she had been on duty the previous night.
The Autospy says
Several doctors who accessed the autopsy report have indicated a possibility of a gang rape. In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, DR Subarna Goswami pointed out that the kind of injuries inflicted by the 31-year-old trainee doctor cannot be the work of one single person.
She said that according to the autopsy report, 151 mg of liquid (semen) was found from the vaginal swab. “That quantity cannot be of one person. It suggests the involvement of multiple people,” Dr Goswami said.
– Preliminary autopsy reports indicated that the victim was sexually assaulted before her murder.
– The autopsy ruled out suicide and found multiple injuries consistent with a violent death, including broken bones and bleeding from various body parts.
– Sources suggested that her nose and mouth were covered, and her head was forcefully pushed against a wall or floor to silence her cries for help.
– The crime is believed to have occurred between 3 am and 6 am, with signs of strangulation and smothering.
Condolences to the Family
The father of the victim had received a call from the super-intendent of the Kolkata’s RG Medical College. The family of the trainee doctor revealed the disturbing condition in which her body was found in the seminar hall.
A relative of the family said, “her legs were 90 degrees apart. This cannot happen unless the pelvic girdle breaks, which means she was torn apart. Also, she had no clothes on her body, it cannot be the work of one person.”
Her specs were broken and there were shards of glasses in her eyes. She was choked to death. adding that, “I am not making this up. This has been proven in the post-mortem too.”
The family also said that they were made to wait three hours before they could see their daughter’s body and that they were initially told that she had died by suicide.
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Arrests and investigations so far
The police have arrested 33-year-old Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, for his alleged role in the crime. Evidence, including a torn Bluetooth earphone, helped lead to his arrest.
Allegations surfaced regarding Roy’s past behaviour, including previous marital abuse, four marriages, regarding him as a ‘womanizer’ and his history of watching pornography, which police later confirmed with such videos found in the accused’s phone.
Reclaim Night Movement
The “Reclaim the Night” movement, which had its start in the 1970s, is a major inspiration behind the protests.
The goal of this campaign is to uphold women’s freedom and safety in public areas, particularly at night.
Many people attribute the first “Reclaim the Night” march to Leeds, England, in 1977.
There, women staged a demonstration against sexual assault and the prevalent “blame the victim” mentality, which advocated for women to stay inside at night to prevent attacks.
The march advocated for safer streets and communities in place of women’s curfews, making a strong statement against them. “Reclaim the Night” protestors demand an end to gender-based violence, and the activities are typically staged at night to highlight women’s rights.
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