Kolkata rape and murder case: Kolkata’s Medical Community in Uproar as Accused Confesses to Rape-Murder of Doctor

Two days after the tragic discovery of a post-graduate trainee doctor’s body at a state-run hospital in Kolkata, the accused has confessed to the heinous crime, according to a report by News18. The accused has been placed under 14-day police custody, facing charges under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The police investigation revealed troubling details, including the discovery of a pornographic video on the accused’s phone. This individual, who had access to the hospital premises due to his role as a ‘civic volunteer’—a person assisting the police and participating in a powerful police welfare board—was seen entering the hospital at around 4 am on Friday, wearing earphones. However, when he exited the premises, the earphones were conspicuously absent.

The incident, which has shocked the city, took place at the RG Kar Medical College, where the body of the 28-year-old victim, a second-year student in the respiratory medicine department, was found in a semi-naked state in the seminar hall early Friday morning. The police have determined that the crime occurred between 3 am and 6 am on that day.

The autopsy report confirmed the worst fears: the young doctor had been sexually assaulted before being strangled and smothered to death. The report also noted significant trauma, including bleeding from her eyes and mouth, injuries to her face, nails, belly, left leg, neck, right hand, ring finger, and lips, as well as bleeding from her private parts.

The brutal nature of the crime has sparked widespread outrage within Kolkata’s medical community. Doctors and students from various state-run hospitals, including RG Kar Medical College, have staged massive protests and sit-ins, demanding justice for their colleague.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a forceful statement on Saturday, expressing deep shock and calling for immediate action. The IMA warned of nationwide protests if their demands were not addressed within 48 hours, stating, “The entire medical fraternity of India is shocked beyond words at this brutal murder… This crime is an index of the anarchy and insecurity prevailing on the campus.”

Political responses have also been swift and condemning. Workers from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] held a rally in Kolkata, demanding justice and criticizing the current state of security in the city. “The city which we used to call ‘City of Joy’ has now become ‘City of Bhay’ (City of Fear). Here, even a doctor is not safe,” said CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Md Salim. He further alleged that the case was being suppressed by the Police Commissioner of Kolkata and called for a judicial inquiry.

In response to the mounting pressure and public outcry, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to pursue the death penalty for the accused.

Also read: Doctors At AIIMS Bhopal Protest With Candle March Following Death Of Kolkata Trainee