A murder, a movement, and the search for justice: A timeline of events in the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case

More than six months later, the state remains connected edge, awaiting a verdict successful the lawsuit arsenic the sessions tribunal successful Sealdah, Kolkata, is poised to present its judgment.

However, the communicative starring up to this infinitesimal is arsenic overmuch astir what happened aft the transgression arsenic the transgression itself.

August 9, 2024: A discovery, a nightmare

The assemblage of the 31-year-old inferior doc was recovered successful the seminar hallway connected the 4th level of the hospital. Her assemblage had 16 outer and 9 interior injuries. The postmortem would aboriginal corroborate decease by manual strangulation pursuing intersexual assault. The accused, a 28-year-old postulation constabulary unpaid named Sanjay Roy, was arrested the adjacent day, August 10, 2024.

Shock turned into anger, and choler into a nationwide movement. Protests erupted not conscionable successful Kolkata but crossed the country. Doctors, aesculapian students, and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) led a fierce campaign, demanding justness for their workfellow and accrued information for healthcare professionals.

The request for justice

Just 2 days aft the assemblage was discovered, the West Bengal authorities transferred the hospital’s Superintendent. But this administrative shuffle was acold from capable to quell the increasing outcry. The hospital’s principal, Sandip Ghosh, stepped down connected August 12, pursuing nationwide protests led by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), which brought elective aesculapian services to a grinding halt.

By August 13, the dissatisfaction was palpable. The victim’s parents, on with others, filed a petition earlier the Calcutta High Court. They demanded an probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing distrust successful the Kolkata Police. The High Court agreed, handing implicit the lawsuit to the CBI.

The protests grew. Doctors refused to instrumentality to work. Services successful hospitals crossed India were disrupted arsenic aesculapian professionals stood agreed successful their request for swift action. “We volition not beryllium silent,” work 1 banner held aloft during the demonstrations.

The Human Rights Commission and scrutiny

As the federation watched, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) intervened, noting disposable signs of conflict connected the victim’s body. On August 14, the Kolkata Police formally handed Sanjay Roy implicit to the CBI.

Just a time later, connected August 15, arsenic the federation celebrated its Independence Day, different signifier of protestation emerged: ‘Reclaim the Night’ rallies, organized by women and activists, demanding justness and extortion for women. At RG Kar Medical College, however, the protests turned violent. A mob vandalized the infirmary and transgression scene. Tensions flared further erstwhile the National Commission for Women (NCW) accused the authorities of information lapses and raised alarms that the transgression tract had undergone premature renovations.

Nationwide outrage, strikes, and investigations

August saw a cascade of events: On August 17, the IMA announced a 24-hour nationwide onslaught successful solidarity with the victim. On August 20, the Supreme Court itself weighed in, constituting a 10-member task unit to code the information of healthcare professionals. By the extremity of the month, the protests had spiralled into larger governmental movements. The Nabanna Abhijan march to the West Bengal secretariat turned into clashes betwixt constabulary and protestors, starring to a state-wide strike, called by the BJP connected August 28.

The CBI, nether aggravated pressure, raided the homes of Sandip Ghosh and respective others connected to the hospital. By mid-September, the bureau arrested Ghosh, accusing him of tampering with evidence. The officer-in-charge of the section Tala constabulary station, Abhijit Mondal, was besides detained for delaying the filing of the first accusation report (FIR).

Court battles, protests, and bail

The tribunal formally charged Sanjay Roy lone successful November. Roy faced charges nether India’s Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including rape and murder. But adjacent arsenic the proceedings began successful a Sealdah court, it was wide that the roadworthy to justness was thing but smooth.

In December, the CBI’s lawsuit took a blow. The tribunal granted bail to some Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal aft the CBI failed to record its chargesheets wrong the statutory 90-day period. Allegations swirled that Ghosh had known astir the transgression earlier than helium had reported, and helium remained nether scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate for unrelated fiscal crimes.

For the victim’s parents, it was different stroke successful a agelong and achy process. They moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the probe had been half-hearted, urging for a caller inquiry.

January 2025: Awaiting a verdict

As the lawsuit draws to a close, the federation holds its breath. The last proceeding astatine Sealdah tribunal concluded connected January 16, 2025, and the verdict is present acceptable for today. For many, the result has far-reaching effects. In the words of 1 protesting doctor: “This isn’t conscionable astir her. This is astir each of us.”