In a deeply disturbing incident that shocked the city, the body of a woman doctor was discovered under mysterious circumstances early on Friday morning at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, West Bengal. The deceased was identified as a second-year postgraduate student at the same institution. She was found lifeless in the Seminar Hall located on the third floor of the campus.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, along with a forensic team, quickly arrived at the scene for a thorough investigation. The body was subsequently sent for an autopsy to ascertain the precise cause of death. According to sources within the police department, the victim had last been seen heading to the seminar hall after having dinner on Thursday night.

In response to this tragic event, the hospital administration took swift action by setting up an 11-member inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the doctor's death. Additionally, significant unrest emerged among the junior doctors at the hospital, culminating in a strike. They expressed their refusal to work, citing an alarming lack of security that they believed contributed to their colleague's untimely demise. The protestors declared that only the emergency ward would remain operational until their concerns were addressed.

The situation outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital also became tense with the involvement of West Bengal BJP workers. They gathered in large numbers to protest, demanding justice for the deceased and calling for immediate improvements in security measures at the hospital.

In a scathing critique, BJP leader Amit Malviya accused the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal of "hiding the crime" related to the death of a woman doctor in Kolkata. He charged that the Kolkata Police had been instructed to "cover-up" the alleged murder and "show it as suicide."

Malviya's severe allegations were detailed in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he stated: "A woman doctor, in a leading Govt hospital in Kolkata, raped and murdered. Her naked body found from the duty room. Mamata Banerjee Govt is trying to hide the crime. Kolkata Police has been asked to cover up, show it as suicide. Media is not being allowed in. Repeat: no woman, from Sandeshkhali to Chopra, is safe in West Bengal," Malviya wrote.

This statement has intensified the controversy surrounding the tragic incident, painting a grim picture of safety and security in the state, particularly for women.

On the same day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to the parents of the victim, who were grappling with immense grief. According to the victim's mother, her daughter had contacted them the previous night, reassuring them of her well-being. However, the grim reality unfolded the next morning when her lifeless body was discovered. The mother strongly believes it was not a suicide but a murder. She recounted the harrowing state in which her daughter was found: "She was semi nude and had injury marks her spectacle is broken, my daughter is good. She has been murdered," the victim’s mother declared.

Kolkata Doctor Murder: Autopsy Confirms Rape, Police Arrest Suspect Amid Protests

A day after the semi-nude body of a postgraduate trainee doctor was discovered inside the seminar hall of a government-run hospital in Kolkata, the preliminary post-mortem report has shed light on the brutal circumstances surrounding her death. The report confirmed that she was raped before being murdered. According to the four-page autopsy report, the woman suffered bleeding from her private parts, along with visible injury marks scattered across various parts of her body.

In response to the horrifying findings, the police have taken swift action by arresting a suspect in the case, as massive protests by junior doctors continue to escalate. The opposition party, BJP, is vehemently demanding a CBI probe to ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation into the tragic incident.

News agency PTI, which accessed a copy of the autopsy report, shared disturbing details. The PTI report outlined, "There was bleeding from both her eyes and mouth, injuries over the face, and a nail. The victim was also bleeding from her private parts. She also has injuries in her belly, left leg, neck, in her right hand, ring finger, and lips."

Further complicating the grim scenario, the police have officially ruled out suicide based on the autopsy findings. A case has been registered at the Tala Police Station. A police officer conveyed to PTI, "This is definitely not a case of suicide; the woman was murdered following sexual assault."

The police investigation reveals that the fatal incident likely occurred between 3 and 6 am. The investigating officer added, "Her neck bone was also found broken. It seems that she was first strangled and then smothered to death. We are waiting for the full report of the autopsy, which will help us identify the culprits."

The Kolkata Police's handling of the case has come under intense scrutiny. Despite the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that includes members from the homicide department, concerns about the efficacy and thoroughness of the police investigation persist. The arrest of a suspect—an outsider with suspiciously free access to several hospital departments—came only after significant delay and public outcry, raising questions about the initial response of the police.

A police official conveyed to PTI the arrest details, stating, "We have arrested one person who is an outsider. His activities are quite suspicious, and he seems to be directly involved in the crime." However, this statement does little to alleviate the skepticism regarding the police’s capability to handle such sensitive and complex cases, as the suspect was apprehended primarily due to the evidence provided by CCTV footage rather than proactive investigative efforts.

Moreover, the police have also interrogated two intern doctors in connection with the case, further illustrating the slow piecing together of the investigation.

This case traces back to Friday (9th August), when the unsettling discovery of the doctor’s body was first made in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital. Immediately, the victim’s father accused the authorities of trying to conceal the true nature of his daughter's death, claiming she had been raped and murdered. These accusations reflect a deep mistrust in the system, exacerbated by perceived attempts at obfuscation.

Adding to the narrative, an anonymous doctor from the hospital shared with PTI, "She had dinner with her juniors around 2 am. She then went to the seminar room since there is no separate on-call room to take some rest. In the morning, we found her body there."

The police's alleged slow response and possible mishandling of the case have sparked widespread outrage among the junior doctors and wider medical community of this government-run hospital. In reaction to the horrific incident and the subsequent perceived inadequacies in the investigation, a candlelight march was organized by students on Friday evening, and nurses held a rally the next day demanding justice and better security measures.

Dr. Sandip Ghosh, Principal of the institution, expressed a deeply personal distress over the incident, stating that the victim was like a daughter to him and reassured the public that "the culprits behind the heinous crime would be caught soon as the police are investigating the matter."

In the political arena, the case has ignited a fiery debate over the state of law and order under the current administration. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), serving as the principal opposition, has not only criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government's handling of law enforcement but has also called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder. This demand underscores the deep mistrust in local police proceedings and highlights the political implications of the case.

TMC MP Saugata Roy acknowledged the severity of the situation by describing it as a “shameful incident” and shared his hope that the "culprits will be caught." Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directly contacted the victim’s parents, offering condolences and assurances that "appropriate actions would be taken against the culprits."

Amidst these assurances, the BJP has escalated its critique, with several leaders visiting the hospital to express their solidarity and demand more rigorous investigative measures. MLA Agnimitra Paul specifically advocated for an independent investigation under a magistrate and raised concerns about the decision to conduct the post-mortem during nighttime, which she implied could affect the transparency and thoroughness of the examination.

Amidst growing discontent and calls for transparency, political figures continue to exert pressure on the investigative process regarding the murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, vocal in her demand for a more thorough investigation, emphasized the severity of the case, stating, "But the child had injuries… She was killed after being raped. We want a CBI investigation. Why was the post-mortem done in the evening?" This question underscores concerns about the procedural aspects of the investigation and the timing of critical forensic examinations.

Further amplifying these demands, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, also called for a CBI inquiry into the tragic incident. His stance reflects a significant push from the opposition to involve central investigative agencies, suggesting a lack of confidence in the state's handling of the case.

Adhikari's involvement goes beyond mere political statements; he has also expressed solidarity with the students of the medical college, many of whom are deeply affected by the loss of their peer and are anxious about their own safety. This gesture of support resonates with the broader medical community and the public, who are increasingly anxious for justice and reforms to ensure such a tragedy does not repeat.

The repeated calls for a CBI probe by prominent BJP leaders highlight a critical aspect of the public and political response to the incident. It not only questions the effectiveness of the local police but also signals an urgent plea for impartiality and depth in the handling of the case.