As police confirm rape, murder of Kolkata doctor, CM on back foot

“This is an unfortunate incident. Yesterday (Friday), at 10:30 am, the Tala police station was informed that a lady’s body was found in the seminar hall of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital,” Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Kumar Goyal said.

The inquest report pointed to the brutality of the crime – the victim had suffered injuries to, and was bleeding from, several parts of her body. It also stated that she was partially clothed, and the mattress on which the body was found was soaked in blood.

Police have arrested one Sanjoy Roy in connection with the crime, though they are yet to divulge details of what he does or why he was at the hospital at the time. CM Banerjee said the accused worked at the hospital but did not elaborate.

According to sources, Roy has been a civic volunteer with the Kolkata police disaster management force and a member of the police welfare association. Sources said he would often go to the hospital, where he would facilitate admission of patients in exchange for money.

Sources say CCTV footage showed him entering the hospital around 11 pm. According to the police, he then left the hospital and allegedly came back in an inebriated condition around 3:45-4 am.

“Whatever needs to be done from our end, we are following a transparent process of investigation. If there is a demand from the family for some other agency to conduct the investigation, we have no problem. By analysing CCTV evidence, proof from the place of occurrence, and a thorough interrogation of doctors and other witnesses, we have concluded that there is strong evidence as far as the accused (Roy) is concerned,” he said. “The probe is still on. The accused will be produced in court today.”

The police chief said a Special Investigation Team has been formed, and CCTV footage has been collected from the vicinity of the crime scene. Crucially, the area where the crime took place was not under CCTV surveillance.

The police chief said that once information about the body was received, the homicide department rushed to the spot. The forensic team was also called in, and for inquest proceedings, the services of a judicial magistrate were requested. “In the presence of the judicial magistrate, the parents and the medical college students, an inquest was done,” he said.

“After the inquest, the post-mortem examination was done. A board was formed with three doctors, out of which two were women. The whole procedure was documented through videography. Students and family members were present as witnesses during the post-mortem proceedings,” he said.

Asked about the background of the accused, he said, “For us, he is a criminal of the highest order. We will see to it that he gets punishment of the highest order. We are collecting more evidence and examining more people. We are interrogating him and trying to find the reason for him being present there at the time.”

“This is not the conclusion of the investigation; it is at a preliminary stage. We are examining more people. We have cross-checked and it is confirmed that he was there,” said the CP.

Additional Commissioner of Police Murli Dhar confirmed that there were signs of sexual assault. “This is a sensitive case. As per Supreme Court guidelines, we cannot divulge each and every detail of the investigation before the media. This is a case of homicide as well as sexual assault,” he said.

On Friday itself, the woman’s father had told reporters that the family believed she had been raped. He said they spoke on the phone at 11 pm the previous day, hours before the incident. “She sounded very normal. I am shocked… She was lying half-naked. We suspect she has been raped and murdered,” he had said. According to hospital sources, the woman was on duty until 2 am on Friday.

As pressure mounted on her government, particularly over what the opposition said was deteriorating law and order in the state, CM Banerjee said the anger of protesting doctors is justified. “I spoke to the family and assured them of action. I have directed for the case to be taken to a fast-track court. If needed, the accused will be hanged, even though I am not pro-capital punishment. But they should be given the strictest punishment,” she said.

Banerjee added those who are protesting are “free to approach any other law enforcement agency” if they had no faith in the state administration.

She said there would be a probe to find if there was negligence on the part of the hospital. “Just as we have a responsibility, the hospital’s superintendent too has a responsibility,” she said.

“The doctors can keep protesting, but at the same time, they should also treat patients,” she said.

Her request came against the backdrop of protests by doctors pressing for enhanced safety on hospital premises. Junior doctors, some resident doctors, house staff, interns, and postgraduate trainee doctors at Calcutta Medical College, NRS Medical College, National Medical College, Sagar Dutta Medical College in Kolkata, among others, have started a ‘cease work’ protest, and only emergency and in-house patient departments are functioning in most government-run hospitals.