The brutal rape and murder of a doctor in a West Bengal government-run hospital in Kolkata has sent shockwaves through the state, prompting hundreds of doctors to cease work in protest.
In her initial response to the crime, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned it as “despicable,” expressing that the young doctor’s death felt “like a personal loss.” She said, “I have directed that the case be brought before a fast-track court. While I am not generally in favor of capital punishment, if necessary, the accused should face the harshest penalty, even the death sentence.”
Amid growing pressure, the state police expressed readiness to transfer the investigation to another agency if the victim's family requests it.
“This is an unfortunate incident. At 10.30 am on Friday, the Tala police station was informed that a lady’s body was found in the seminar hall of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital,” Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Kumar Goyal was quoted in an Indian Express report.
The inquest report revealed the horrific nature of the crime, detailing that the victim had suffered multiple injuries and was found bleeding from several parts of her body. She was partially clothed, and the mattress where her body was discovered was soaked in blood.
Police have arrested Sanjoy Roy in connection with the case but have not disclosed specific details about his role or reasons for being at the hospital.
Citing sourcers in its report, The Indian Express mentioned that Roy had been a civic volunteer with the Kolkata police disaster management force and was also a member of the police welfare association. He reportedly frequented the hospital, allegedly facilitating patient admissions for money. CCTV footage captured him entering the hospital around 11 pm, and police reports indicate that he left only to return in a seemingly intoxicated state between 3.45 and 4 am. How Bluetooth headset led Kolkata cops to rapist
According to a report in The Times of India, Roy, who was recruited in 2019, had frequently been assigned to the police outpost at RG Kar Hospital, which gave him unrestricted access to various departments within the facility. His involvement in the crime was uncovered due to a torn earphone found in the seminar room on the third floor of the emergency building, where the doctor's body was discovered early Friday. CCTV footage captured Roy entering the emergency building at 4 a.m., wearing a Bluetooth device in his ears. However, when he exited the building 40 minutes later, the earphone was missing. Police later confirmed that the device had paired with his cellphone, linking him to the scene.
After the inquest, the post-mortem examination was done. The postmortem report, released late Friday, confirmed that the doctor had been sexually assaulted. The report detailed multiple signs of injuries and evidence of a struggle, including bloodstains on her face and eyes, as well as scratch marks and wounds in her private parts. Additionally, her collarbone was found to be broken.
Police said the accused is being taken as a criminal of the highest order and should get a punishment of the highest order.
On Friday itself, the victim’s father had told reporters that the family believed she had been raped. He said they spoke on the phone at 11 pm the previous day, hours before the incident. “She sounded very normal. I am shocked… She was lying half-naked. We suspect she has been raped and murdered,” he had said. According to hospital sources, the woman was on duty until 2 am on Friday.
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