A chilling incident has shaken the city of Kolkata, as a civic volunteer has been apprehended by the Kolkata Police for allegedly raping and murdering a postgraduate trainee doctor at the renowned RG Kar Medical College. The victim, a second-year medical student, was tragically found lifeless inside the seminar hall of the government-run hospital on Friday. This horrific incident has ignited widespread condemnation, with political parties engaging in heated accusations and doctors and nurses organizing impassioned protests demanding swift justice.
The victim, a young woman pursuing her postgraduate studies at RG Kar Hospital, was discovered partially clothed in the seminar hall, raising immediate suspicions of foul play. An autopsy report confirmed the grim reality, revealing signs of sexual assault before the doctor was brutally murdered, likely between the hours of 3:00 am and 6:00 am. The victim, a student of the chest medicine department, had been on duty the previous night.
Investigation revealed that the accused, a civic volunteer who held access to multiple departments within the West Bengal government-run hospital, had entered the hospital premises on Friday night. The accused had been a civic volunteer since 2019, according to reports. His identity was established through a Bluetooth headphone recovered from the seminar hall. CCTV footage captured the civic volunteer’s presence on the hospital premises for a period of 30-35 minutes on Friday.
The accused was charged under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the BNS and was produced before the Sealdah court following his arrest. Further investigation revealed that the accused had briefly entered the RG Kar premises at 11 pm on Friday, subsequently leaving to consume alcohol outside. He then returned to the hospital grounds after 3 am on Saturday. Local media reported that the civic volunteer exhibited a lack of remorse when apprehended by the Kolkata Police.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association has issued a letter to Union Minister JP Nadda, demanding immediate action within 24 hours. The organization’s statement also hinted at the possibility of a “shutdown of services across institutions” should the administration fail to address the situation with appropriate action.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to pursue the death penalty for the accused, emphasizing her unwavering commitment to securing justice for the victim and her family. The brutal sexual assault and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor in a state-run hospital have sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and unwavering commitment to combating violence against women in medical institutions.
