The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticized the West Bengal government for its failure to protect the crime scene and control the vandalism that followed the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud expressed grave concern over the state’s inability to secure the crime scene and address the chaos that ensued. Terming the incident as “horrific,” the CJI underscored the critical issue of violence against medical professionals, stressing that hospitals operate round-the-clock with doctors tirelessly serving patients. He highlighted the need for better safety measures, especially for women doctors who work long hours.
The apex court also took the state government to task over the unauthorized circulation of the victim’s name and photos, raising concerns over privacy violations. The CJI questioned the initial mishandling of the case, noting that the hospital principal had initially tried to dismiss the incident as a suicide and that the victim’s parents were denied access to her body for several hours.
The investigation into the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court on August 13, following petitions, including one by the victim’s parents seeking a court-monitored probe.
During the Supreme Court hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, argued that the victim’s photos were circulated before police arrived, and that an unnatural death case was registered immediately. He also pointed out that a board was constituted, and a Judicial Magistrate was present. However, the CJI and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta strongly criticized the state’s failure to maintain law and order, with Mehta cautioning against downplaying the severity of the crime.
CJI Chandrachud emphasized that the case goes beyond the specific rape and murder incident, reflecting deeper systemic issues related to the safety of medical professionals across the country. He called for a national protocol to ensure safe working conditions for doctors, particularly for female doctors, stressing that the failure to provide such conditions undermines constitutional principles of equality.
The brutal incident has triggered widespread protests, with doctors striking for over a week demanding justice and better security measures. The striking doctors have called for swift action by the CBI to apprehend the culprits and have demanded assurances from the government to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The victim’s body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered in a seminar hall at the hospital’s chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day. The CBI began its investigation on August 14, following the High Court’s order to take over the probe.
