CJI Orders Protection of Victim’s Identity Amid Social Media Circulation in Kolkata Rape Case

The Supreme Court, set to hear the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case today at 2 PM, previously directed Wikipedia to remove the victim’s name from its platform.

The case, which has sparked widespread protests, involves the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Junior doctors across West Bengal have been staging demonstrations, demanding stronger security measures at government-run hospitals. They are now awaiting the outcome of today’s Supreme Court hearing before deciding whether to continue their work stoppage.

Petitioners in the case have raised serious concerns about a “culture of threats” at state-run medical institutions, including allegations of corruption, bribery, the sale of examination keys, and widespread sexual harassment and abuse of medical students and junior doctors. The court has taken note of the gravity of these claims, stating that even if partially true, they will be treated with utmost seriousness.

On September 21, after a 42-day strike, junior doctors partially resumed duties in government hospitals. However, their demands for improved safety have yet to be fully addressed by the state government, as outlined in a letter to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant following a meeting on September 18.

Torch rallies organized by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front have continued across the state in places like RG Kar Hospital, SSKM Hospital, and Calcutta Medical College. These protests aim to draw attention to the need to eliminate the “threat culture” in medical colleges, where students reportedly face ongoing intimidation and harassment.