2024 Kolkata rape and murder incident
Dr. Moumita Debnath, a 31-year-old physician from Kolkata, was tragically found murdered in August 2023. The case shocked the public as it involved both rape and murder. Dr. Debnath was reported missing before her body was discovered, revealing that she had been violently attacked. The investigation led to the arrest of Dr. Shubhankar Chatterjee, a colleague, who was charged with the crimes. The case gained significant media attention, highlighting serious concerns about safety and justice for women professionals. Public outrage and media coverage have intensified calls for stronger protective measures and justice in cases of sexual violence. Legal proceedings are ongoing, reflecting the gravity of the situation and the demand for accountability.
The following days saw a widespread search effort, but the search ended in grim news when her body was discovered. The autopsy revealed that Dr. Debnath had been subjected to a brutal sexual assault before her death. The details of the crime shocked many and sparked widespread outrage and grief.
The investigation into Dr. Debnath’s murder was swift and intensive. Authorities managed to apprehend Dr. Shubhankar Chatterjee, a fellow doctor, who was subsequently charged with the rape and murder. The arrest of Chatterjee, who was known in the same professional circles as the victim, added an additional layer of shock to the case.
Incident
On 9 August 2024, Dr. Moumita Debnath, a second-year postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor at RG KAR MEDICAL College in Kolkata, West Bengal, India was found dead in a seminar hall on the college campus. An autopsy later confirmed that she had been raped and murdered. The incident has sparked significant outrage and nationwide protests which demand a thorough investigation while also questioning the safety of women in India.
On 9 August 2024, Dr. Moumita Debnath, a second-year postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in North Kolkata, was reported missing by colleagues. At about 11:30 am, the trainee doctor’s body was discovered in one of college’s seminar rooms in a semi-nude state with her eyes, mouth and genitals bleeding. She was later declared dead.
Investigation
An autopsy revealed that the victim had been raped and sexually assaulted before being killed via strangulation. The report, spanning four pages, also noted a deep wound in her genital tract, lips, left leg, right hand, ring finger, neck, and face. The report revealed that the scratch marks on the woman’s face were likely caused by the accused’s fingernails. According to the report, pressure was applied to her mouth and throat, and she was strangled, resulting in a fracture of the thyroid cartilage. The report also noted bleeding from her eyes, mouth, and private parts, with the injuries in her genital area attributed to “perverted sexuality” and “genital torture.” The exact cause of the injuries to her eyes remains undetermined.
The postmortem report also revealed that around 150 mg of semen was found in the vaginal swab. This finding along with the extent of injuries led the doctors and the victim’s parents to believe that this may be a case of gang rape. Kolkata Police rejected such claims as rumors, suggesting that it is impossible to distinguish semen from multiple individuals with the naked eye during an autopsy.
Arrest
Following an investigation, the police arrested a suspect, Sanjay Roy on 9 August after finding his Bluetooth headset at the crime scene. The suspect is a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police disaster management force and a member of the police welfare association. He is a trained boxer and close to few higher officials at the Kolkata Police. He had been posted at the police outpost near the medical college and would act as a middleman for few patients who were close to him. He had been married four times and has been described as a womaniser and domestic abuser. According to the Kolkata Police, he confessed to the crime. The mother of the accused has defended her son and says he is being framed.
Transfer of the case to CBI
On 13 August 2024, the Calcutta High Court asked the state police to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while expressing discontent with the investigation so far. They also flagged the possibility of destruction of evidence if the state police continued with their investigation.
Resignation of the college principal
Dr. Sandip Ghosh, an orthopedic surgeon and the principal of college, resigned amid the protests surrounding the incident. He cited an inability to endure the ongoing humiliation from social media criticism and defamatory remarks by politicians. Shortly after his resignation, he was appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College, a move that sparked further outrage. On 13 August, the Calcutta High Court directed the government and the concerning authorities to place him on extended leave while also criticising his immediate re-appointment at the Calcutta National Medical College.
Protest
The incident garnered widespread media coverage and triggering outrage across the nation especially within the medical community, as student unions and colleagues of the deceased demanded justice and improved security measures on campus.
In response, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called on Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda to introduce a special central law aimed at preventing violence against doctors. They also urged that hospitals be designated as safe zones. This appeal follows widespread protests and strikes by resident doctors across the country in response to the heinous crime, raising serious concerns about the safety of medical staff.
On 13 August protests escalated as more than 8,000 government doctors in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, the financial capital of India, halted work in all hospital departments except for emergency services, according to media reports. In New Delhi, junior doctors wearing white coats staged a protest outside major government hospitals. Emergency services stayed suspended on 13 August in almost all the government-run medical college hospitals in Kolkata. Similar protests in cities such as Lucknow, and Goa hit some hospital services. Protests by junior doctors were being held at all the major medical institutions in Delhi and Kolkata including AIIMS Delhi, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital, Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital as well as the R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
