Background
On the night of August 8th, 2023, a horrific incident occurred at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, India. Trainee Doctor Moumita Debnath, a 31-year-old female doctor, was brutally murdered at her workplace. The incident sparked outrage across India, with women taking to the streets in protest, demanding justice.
The Night of the Incident
After completing her duties and a 36-hour shift, Dr. Moumita Debnath had dinner with her fellow on-duty doctors at 2 a.m. Exhausted, she decided to rest in the doctor’s rest room used by hospital staff who work long night hours. Little did she know that this would be the last time she would close her eyes feeling calm and safe.
Initial Reports and Family’s Shock
The next morning, Assistant Superintendent Dwaipayan Biswas informed Dr. Moumita Debnath’s family that their daughter had died by suicide. However, when the family arrived at the hospital, they were forced to wait outside for three hours and were not allowed to see her body. When they were finally permitted to see their daughter, they were shocked to find her body lying exposed with her legs positioned at a 90-degree angle, indicating severe pelvic bone injuries.
Autopsy Report and Evidence of Assault
The initial autopsy report revealed that Dr. Moumita Debnath had been raped and strangled to death. The report detailed numerous injuries, including a broken hyoid bone (neck bone), cuts on her lips, a fractured pelvis, bleeding from the mouth, damage and bleeding in both eyes, injuries to her abdomen and left leg, a broken ring finger, and hundreds of bite marks all over her body. Additionally, she had severe injuries to her abdomen and bleeding in her private parts.
Suspicions and Allegations
Sources on social media platform X suggested that the doctor’s death allegedly involved 18 to 20 men, and one of them who held Dr. Moumita Debnath’s hand throughout the torture was a female doctor who was her friend. The question arises as to why a suicide theory was developed when the evidence pointed towards a murder. This information was also shared with the doctor’s family, who were told that their daughter had committed suicide.
Legal and Investigative Developments
On August 22, the Supreme Court criticized the police and hospital management for their negligence. The court pointed out that an FIR should have been filed immediately and emphasized the delay in documenting the death. The High Court also criticized Bengal’s Minister of State Affairs, Mamata Banerjee, and the state police for failing to control the situation.
Public Outrage and Protests
On the night of August 15th, around 7,000 people went to the crime scene to destroy and erase evidence. This shows the magnitude of this crime and hints at the involvement of highly powerful individuals. The police seemed unable to prevent this from happening, leaving the public disappointed.
CBI Involvement and Arrests
On August 13th, the Kolkata High Court ordered the state police to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) due to dissatisfaction with the investigation conducted so far. Sanjay Roy, a Civic Assistant, was remanded by the police until August 23rd after his earphones were found next to Dr. Moumita Debnath’s body. Sanjay reportedly confessed to committing the heinous crime and even challenged the authorities to sentence him to death.
Sanjay Roy’s Background
Sanjay Roy, who was a former boxer (security guard), had a criminal record of wife abuse and had been married four times. He was also close to several senior police officers and was appointed as a member of the Kolkata Police Welfare Unit, stationed at the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital. After committing the crime, Sanjay reportedly went to the police barracks and slept until morning.
Wider Implications and Protests
This incident happened in West Bengal district of India. The situation here is very bad. People have lost faith in the law and the government. Numerous criminal activities have occurred within the hospital, including scams, corruption, the illegal sale of medical waste, and involvement in a drug racket. Medical waste was being illegally sent to Bangladesh, and the operation must have involved powerful political figures, as such a scheme would not be possible without their involvement.
Allegations of Organ Trafficking and Sex-Drug Racket
A recent report by Akhtar Ali, who formerly served as the deputy superintendent at R G Kar Medical College, has leveled serious accusations against Ghosh and other college officials. The claims involve unauthorized leasing of government property, favoritism in hiring, awarding contracts to unqualified entities, demanding a 20% commission, participating in an illegal cross-border medical waste recycling operation, and financial discrepancies highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Protests and Demands for Justice
After news of Dr. Moumita Debnath spread, many women across India took to the streets in large-scale protests. These protests were carried out because this case proved that Indian women are in an unsafe situation. Additionally, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) also staged protests nationwide, where doctors took to the streets and did not attend work for 24 hours, starting from 6 AM on August 17th to 6 AM on August 18th, demanding increased security in hospitals, especially for female doctors.
Polygraph Tests and Continued Strikes
A polygraph test will be conducted on six individuals, including the accused Sanjay Roy, involved in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor. Among those being tested are the former college principal, Sandeep Ghosh, and four doctors who had dinner with the victim on the night of August 8th. Doctors in Kolkata continue their strike on the 15th day (August 23rd) in protest of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College on August 9th. They stated, “We have not received justice, so we will not return to work.”
Similar Cases and Crime Statistics
More tragically, the incident involving Dr. Moumita Debnath is not the first of its kind. Several other doctors, such as Dr. Aradhya, Dr. Priyanka Reddy, Dr. Shweta Sinha, and Dr. Anjali Sinha, have also experienced similar fates. If we look at crime statistics in India, there were 31,516 reported rape cases in 2022, which is roughly 86 rape cases happening every day.
Petition for Justice
To date, an online petition on change.org titled ‘Fair Investigation and Justice for the Rape and Murder of a Medical Intern from Kolkata!’ has received nearly 150,000 signatures from around the world. Hopefully, Dr. Moumita Debnath gets the justice she deserves and those responsible are punished to the fullest extent.