More than five months after the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old female postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the case continues to ignite public outrage. Despite the Sealdah sessions court sentencing Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment on January 20, the victim’s parents and protesting doctors remain dissatisfied. On what would have been her 32nd birthday, a massive demonstration was held in Kolkata, with her parents demanding a reinvestigation, convinced that more individuals were involved in the crime. The grieving mother called upon medical professionals across the state to light lamps in her memory, emphasizing that the case was not just about one man’s crime but a systemic failure that allowed the injustice to occur. While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has appealed for the death penalty for Roy, the victim’s parents assert that they do not seek capital punishment for him but instead demand the exposure of all conspirators who played a role in covering up the crime.
As protests intensify, the victim’s parents have directly accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting those responsible for obstructing the investigation. They claim that the state government, in collusion with Kolkata Police and hospital authorities, deliberately destroyed evidence to shield key figures linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The family alleges that their daughter, a government medical professional, was murdered as part of a larger conspiracy, possibly due to her awareness of illicit activities within the institution. Their plea for justice has also reached the Supreme Court, where they have sought an extension from the Calcutta High Court in their appeal for a fresh probe. Meanwhile, doctors protesting under the West Bengal Junior Doctor Front (WBJDF) have questioned why no supplementary chargesheet has been filed against other suspects, including police officers and hospital officials, whose involvement in tampering with evidence remains a critical concern.
The state government’s response to these protests has raised further suspicions, as several doctors leading the demonstrations now face accusations of professional misconduct. One prominent protester, Asfakulla Naiya, has been accused of practicing as an ENT specialist without proper qualifications, with police even raiding his residence. Another protest leader, Kinjal Nanda, is under scrutiny for allegedly working without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from his hospital. Protesters claim these actions are part of a larger attempt to silence dissent and discourage further exposure of corruption in West Bengal’s healthcare system. Despite these challenges, the movement for justice continues to grow, with medical professionals and citizens vowing to keep up the fight until all those involved in the case are held accountable.
