Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Kolkata Trainee Doctor’s Rape and Murder Case
On Sunday, 18th August, the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of the horrifying rape and murder case of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case, which has shocked the nation, will be heard by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, on Tuesday, 20th August.
According to the Supreme Court’s schedule, the hearing on this case is set to take place after another special bench hearing, scheduled for 10:30 AM, concludes. The matter listed for the hearing is titled “Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, and related issues.”
This case, which took place in the early hours of 9th August, has sparked nationwide outrage similar to the protests witnessed during the 2012 Nirbhaya case. The incident has led to widespread protests across India and even gained attention internationally. Medical professionals across the country have been on strike, expressing deep concerns over the safety of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff, particularly women.
The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is facing intense criticism and public pressure due to its handling of the case. Allegations of mishandling by state authorities have further aggravated the situation. The Calcutta High Court had already transferred the investigation of the main rape and murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after criticizing the Police and the state government for their conduct.
On the morning of 9th August, the semi-nude body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found inside a seminar hall at the government-run hospital in Kolkata. Initially, the hospital administration informed the victim’s parents that their daughter had died by suicide.
However, the autopsy report, released a day later, confirmed that she was raped before being murdered. The report revealed shocking details, stating that she was strangled, and her body bore signs of “perverted sexuality” and “genital torture,” resulting in severe wounds.
Following these revelations, the Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer named Sanjay Roy, who was stationed at the hospital, in connection with the crime. Despite the arrest, the victim’s family and protesters believe that the crime was a gang rape and are demanding a thorough investigation to ensure all culprits are brought to justice.
Doctors and medical professionals have been protesting for over a week now, demanding justice for the victim. On Wednesday night, 14th August, thousands of women across the country participated in “Reclaim The Night” marches, taking to the streets to demand justice for the victim. The marches took place in Kolkata and other parts of the state, with peaceful protests swelling across the nation.
However, the situation took a violent turn when a large, motivated mob laid siege to RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, where the crime occurred. The mob carried out large-scale vandalism and attacked the protesting doctors who had been demanding justice for the victim.
In response to the vandalism, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed opposition parties, particularly the Left (CPIM) and BJP, for creating unrest in the state. However, major arrests made in connection with the hospital vandalism suggest otherwise, with reports indicating that some of the accused are linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
On Friday, the Calcutta High Court once again criticized the West Bengal government for its handling of the situation and transferred the case of vandalism at the hospital to the CBI. The court had already handed over the investigation into the rape and murder of the trainee doctor to the central probe agency.
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