West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finds herself in a paradoxical situation as she leads protests demanding justice for the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, while her administration simultaneously cracks down on other demonstrators throughout the state.
The tragic incident, which occurred on August 9, 2024, at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, has sparked widespread outrage. The accused, Sanjoy Roy, a civil police volunteer, was arrested within 12 hours of the crime. Despite this, the public’s demand for comprehensive justice remains fervent, with protests continuing unabated.
Football Fans Unite for Justice Amid Cancelled Derby
On August 18, 2024, the streets of Kolkata saw an unusual alliance as football fans from rival teams, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, set aside their fierce sports rivalry to join forces in protest against the brutal murder. The protest, however, led to several arrests after the Kolkata Police intervened, citing concerns over potential violence. The Durand Cup derby between the two teams, scheduled for the same day, was cancelled based on intelligence reports warning of possible unrest at Salt Lake Stadium, where the fans had gathered.
Earlier in the day, police had imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) outside the stadium, detaining fans who refused to disperse. Despite the cancellation of the match and the threat of police action, the fans persisted in their demands for justice, demonstrating a rare unity in the face of tragedy.
Social Media Post Leads to Student’s Arrest
The following day, August 19, 2024, tensions escalated further when a second-year B.Com student was arrested for allegedly posting a provocative message on social media targeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The student’s post, which reportedly encouraged others to assassinate the Chief Minister and shared the victim’s identity in connection with the case, was swiftly condemned by the authorities. The student now faces serious charges under several sections of the BNSS, including those related to inciting hatred, provoking a breach of peace, and insulting modesty.
In a related development, the Kolkata Police have issued notices to seven leaders of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) for questioning regarding their involvement in disseminating information about the case. A separate notice was sent to a doctor accused of spreading misinformation. All parties are required to appear before the police on August 19, 2024.
Silencing Dissent: Kolkata Police allegedly force lady doctor to remove posts on RG Kar hospital rape casehttps://t.co/EG2Lazbthc
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) August 16, 2024
Crackdown on Prominent Figures and Allegations of Censorship
Efforts to curb the unlawful disclosure of the victim’s identity and the spread of misinformation have led the Kolkata Police to summon two prominent doctors and a senior BJP leader to their headquarters. Former BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, along with renowned doctors Dr. Kunal Sarkar and Dr. Subarna Goswami, have been accused of spreading rumors and revealing sensitive details about the victim. In total, 57 individuals have been summoned for allegedly disseminating incorrect information related to the case.
The situation remains tense, with protests continuing across the city. Eight days after the brutal murder, demonstrations show no sign of abating, fueled by strikes from medical professionals and rallies organized by opposition political parties and concerned citizens. The atmosphere at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital is particularly charged, with reports of vandalism further inflaming public sentiment.
CBI Investigation Progresses Amid Family’s Frustration
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has taken over the probe, has intensified its efforts, recently visiting the Kolkata Police’s fourth battalion barrack, where the accused was stationed on the day of the crime. The CBI has also conducted searches at Sanjoy Roy’s family home in Bhawanipore and enlisted a team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory to conduct a psychological evaluation of the accused. Additionally, the CBI has questioned Sandip Kumar Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, for two consecutive days.
Despite these developments, the family of the deceased doctor remains deeply dissatisfied with the progress of the investigation. The father of the victim expressed his frustration, saying, “No results have come out of the inquiry that is being done. We hope we will get results… No one from the department or the college cooperated with us. The entire department is involved in this… There were three bodies at the crematorium, but our daughter’s body was cremated first… The CM is talking about providing justice, but then attempts are being made to put the common people demanding justice in jail. We are not satisfied with the CM. We have refused to take any compensation.”
#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal: Father of deceased doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-death case says, “No results have come out of the inquiry that is being done. We hope we will get results… No one from the department or the college cooperated… pic.twitter.com/hyZwblJO7b
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2024
The mother of the victim provided a heart-wrenching account of the events leading up to their discovery of their daughter’s death. “First, we got a call from the hospital that your daughter is sick, then the call was disconnected. After that, when I called and asked what happened, they told me to come to the hospital. When we called again, the (caller) identified himself as Assistant Super and said your daughter has committed suicide. She went to duty on Thursday, we got this call on Friday at 10:53 am. When we reached there, we were not allowed to see her, we were allowed to see her at 3 o’clock. Her pants were open, there was only one piece of cloth on her body. Her hand was broken, blood was coming out of her eyes, mouth. Just by looking at her, it seemed that someone had murdered her. I told them it is not suicide, it’s murder. We worked so hard to make our daughter a doctor, but she was murdered.”
#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal: Mother of deceased doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-death case says, “First we got a call from the hospital that your daughter is sick, then the call was disconnected. After that when I called and asked what happened,… pic.twitter.com/xitp65iH5F
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2024
Criticizing the Chief Minister’s response, she continued, “She (Mamata Banerjee) said that the culprit will be arrested as soon as possible, but nothing has happened so far. One person has been arrested. I am sure many more are involved in this incident. I think the entire department is responsible for the incident… The police did not do a good job at all. I feel that the Chief Minister is trying to stop the protest; today she imposed Section 144 here so that people cannot protest.”
The mother also expressed her dismay at the conduct of the police, saying, “They did not cooperate with us at all; they only tried to hush up the case as soon as possible. Their attempt was to get the post-mortem done as soon as possible and remove the body.”
As the investigation continues and the protests show no sign of diminishing, the state remains on edge, with many fearing that the path to justice may be fraught with further challenges and confrontations.
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