The ‘unnatural’ death of a second-year woman postgraduate medical student in the State-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday (August 9, 2024) triggered massive outrage with family members alleging that the doctor was sexually assaulted before being killed.
“We believe she was sexually assaulted and murdered. The matter is being covered up,” the victim’s father told the media.
The woman’s body was recovered around 11.30 a.m. on Friday (August 9, 2024) at the seminar hall on the fourth floor of the emergency building of the college. She was on night duty on Thursday (August 8, 2024).
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the victim’s parents over the phone and assured them that stern action would be taken against the perpetrators.
An 11-member committee has been formed to investigate the matter. Medical Superintendent of R.G. Kar Medical College Dr. Sanjay Vashisth said, “The police have been informed and a video post-mortem will be conducted. We also want the truth to come out.”
Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, State Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam and a forensic team visited the hospital on Friday (August 9, 2024).
The incident has invoked fear among students and doctors with post-graduate trainees questioning the safety and security on the hospital premises and alleging the lack of a separate room for women doctors who work at night. Junior doctors, members of the hospital’s Resident Doctors Association and supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party have protested against the death of the student.
“The State government should hand over the case to the CBI. The family should go to court, and if they do, they will have our full support,” West Bengal Assembly’s Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul added that the incident is “a complete failure of the hospital administration and the system.”
BJP leader Amit Malviya took to social media and accused the West Bengal government of trying to cover up the incident. “Repeat: no woman, from Sandeshkhali to Chopra, is safe in West Bengal,” he wrote on X.
State Secretary of the CPI(M) Mohammed Salim alleged that the incident proves the poor condition of the State’s hospitals and educational institutions. “This is unimaginable. The body was found under very suspicious circumstances and the matter is being covered up,” Mr. Salim said.
State Secretary of the All India Democratic Students Organisation Biswajit Roy condemned the hospital administration and accused them of not being able to take responsibility of the safety of its staff. The organisation demanded the resignation of the college principal.