The father of a 31-year-old trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered during a break at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, remembered her passion for medicine.
In an emotional interview with The Guardian, he described their family’s poverty and the hardships his daughter endured.
“She worked tirelessly to become a doctor. All she did was study… Our dreams were shattered in one night. We sent her to work, and the hospital returned her body. Everything is over for us,” he said.
“My daughter isn’t coming back. I’ll never hear her voice or laughter again. All I can focus on now is getting justice for her,” he added.
On August 9, the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested the next day. The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the Calcutta high court.
The doctor’s rape and murder, and the handling of the case, have sparked protests and strikes by doctors across India.
Her father shared that becoming a doctor was his daughter’s lifelong dream. Despite their financial struggles, they supported her ambition. “She said, ‘Papa, being a doctor and helping others is a good thing. What do you think?’ I said, ‘Yes, do it. We’ll support you.’ And look what happened,” he recalled.
