In a deeply unsettling case that has sent shockwaves through Kolkata and beyond, the initial autopsy report of a 31-year-old doctor who was brutally raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical Hospital has revealed multiple signs of a violent assault. The autopsy findings have ruled out any possibility of suicide, confirming that the young woman was murdered following a vicious sexual attack.
The autopsy report detailed horrific injuries sustained by the victim, noting, “There was bleeding from both her eyes and mouth, injuries over the face, and nails. The victim was also bleeding from her private parts. She also has injuries on her belly, left leg, neck, right hand, ring finger, and lips.” The report further revealed that the victim’s neck bone was broken, suggesting that she was first strangled and then smothered to death. A police officer corroborated these findings, stating, “This is definitely not a case of suicide; the woman was murdered following sexual assault.”
This heinous crime occurred while the doctor, a postgraduate trainee in chest medicine, was on night duty at the state-run hospital. Her body was discovered on Friday morning in a seminar hall of the hospital, leading to an immediate outcry from the medical community and the public at large. A colleague of the victim recounted the events of the night, saying, “She had dinner with her juniors around 2 am. She then went to the seminar room since there is no separate on-call room to take some rest. In the morning, we found her body there.”
The police have arrested one suspect in connection with the crime, a man reportedly working as a civic volunteer. However, the police have refrained from confirming his exact role, describing him only as a criminal in their custody. The suspect was apprehended after investigators found a Bluetooth headset at the crime scene, which led them to review CCTV footage placing him at the location during the time of the crime.
The brutal murder has ignited a fierce political debate, with opposition parties, including the BJP, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar criticized the state government, stating, “You can hide the data in the National Crime Records. But the kind of incidents that are happening prove that they (women) are not in a good situation.”
In response, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has expressed openness to a central agency investigation and has vowed to ensure that the perpetrator faces the strictest possible punishment. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has promised to seek the death penalty for the accused. Meanwhile, TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has called for capital punishment or an encounter for those convicted of such heinous crimes. “The Center should bring in an ordinance calling for immediate action against such culprits. This could be made into an amendment after six months,” he said, urging swift and severe consequences for the guilty.
Abhishek Banerjee also emphasized the need for a new law to expedite justice in such cases, preventing prolonged trials that often drag on for years. “These rapists, who don’t deserve to live in society, should be dealt with either through encounter or by hanging,” he asserted, expressing hope that other opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, would support such a measure.
As the investigation continues, the tragic death of the young doctor has not only highlighted the need for stronger security measures but has also sparked a broader discussion on the safety of women and the urgent need for legal reforms to prevent such atrocities in the future.
