Kolkata, August 13, 2024 — In a deeply disturbing development, the post-mortem report of the woman doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has been submitted to the police. The report has uncovered harrowing details of the crime, revealing that the victim was first rendered unconscious before being raped and subsequently strangled to death.

According to police sources, the victim was asleep under a red blanket when the accused approached her. The report indicates that the perpetrator smothered her by pressing on her mouth and nose, causing her to lose consciousness. The victim was then subjected to sexual assault, after which the accused strangled her to prevent her from speaking out about the crime. Signs of a struggle were evident, with torn pages from a book found near where she slept, and her glasses were discovered broken, suggesting a violent encounter. Additionally, the victim had sustained injuries to her eye, likely from the broken glass, causing it to bleed.

The post-mortem also revealed that fragments of flesh found under the victim’s nails could potentially belong to the accused, indicating that she fought back before her tragic death. The report further detailed injuries on the victim’s face, neck, and private parts, underscoring the brutality of the attack. The body of the 31-year-old doctor was found partially unclothed late Thursday night, sending shockwaves across the medical community and beyond.

The incident has sparked widespread protests, with junior doctors across the country going on strike to demand justice and better security in medical institutions. The strike, now in its fourth day, has severely disrupted healthcare services, with doctors in Delhi’s government hospitals joining the indefinite strike called by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association. The protests have highlighted the urgent need for safety reforms within the medical community.

In the wake of the incident, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, tendered his resignation. This comes just a day after the West Bengal government removed the hospital’s superintendent, Dr. Sanjay Vashistha. In his resignation, Dr. Ghosh vehemently denied the allegations against him, calling them “false and fabricated.” He claimed that a student movement had been incited against him, driven by political motives, and that he could no longer tolerate the humiliation. Dr. Ghosh emphasized that he had informed the police about the incident within an hour and had provided them with CCTV footage. He urged the protesting students to return to their duties.

The call for justice has also reached the courts, with three public interest litigations (PILs) filed in the Calcutta High Court, demanding a CBI investigation into the case. These PILs will be heard on Tuesday by a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam. One of the petitioners’ lawyers, Firoz Edulji, accused the authorities of attempting to cover up the incident, adding to the calls for a transparent and thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the victim’s family on Monday, assuring them of justice. She stated that if the police fail to solve the case by Sunday, the matter will be handed over to the CBI, though she expressed concerns about the success rate of the agency. The Chief Minister acknowledged the family’s suspicion that an insider might be involved in the crime.