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On August 9, 2024, Moumita Debnath, a medical intern at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata,West Bengal, India, was raped and murdered. His body was found on campus. The incident has amplified debate over the safety of women and doctors in India and sparked widespread outrage, nationwide protests and demands for a comprehensive investigation.

Incident:

At approximately 11:30 a.m August 9, 2024, Moumita Debnath was reported missing by his colleagues. the body of the medical student was discovered in one of the university’s seminar halls, almost naked, with bleeding eyes, mouth, and genitals. She was later declared dead.

Investigation:

Autopsy report

An autopsy revealed that Debnath had been raped and sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. The report, which extends over four pages, also indicated that there was a deep wound on his genitals, 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 defendant’s fingernails. According to the report, they put pressure on her mouth and throat and suffocated her, resulting in a fracture of the thyroid cartilage. The report also indicated bleeding in his eyes, mouth, and genitals, and injuries to his genitals attributed to “perverted sex” and “torture of the genitals.” The exact cause of the injury to his eyes remains undetermined.

The autopsy report also revealed that about 150 mg of semen was found in the vaginal swab. This finding, coupled with the severity of the injuries, led the doctors who conducted the autopsy and the victim’s parents to believe that Debnath may have been gang-raped. Kolkata Police dismissed such allegations as rumours, saying it was impossible to distinguish semen from several individuals. With the naked eye during autopsy.

Arrest

After investigation, the police arrested a civilian volunteer from the Kolkata Police Disaster Management Force who was posted at the police station near the medical college. He has been described as a womanizer and domestic abuser. According to Kolkata Police, he confessed to committing the crime.

Transfer of the case to CBI

On 13 August 2024, the Calcutta High Court, dissatisfied with the police’s handling of the investigation, referred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They also noted that evidence could be destroyed if state police continued their investigation.

Supreme Court Hearing

On August 18, the Supreme Court heard the case on its own. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Chandrachud heard the matter on August 20. While criticizing the state government, Kolkata Police and university administration for mishandling the case and acts of vandalism that occurred on the night of August 14, the court formed a national task force to ensure security in the doctors’ protest to return to their duties. The court ordered CISF and CRPF to provide security at the hospital.

Reactions:

Resignation of the college principal

Dr. Sandeep Ghosh, an orthopedic surgeon and university director, resigned amid protests surrounding the incident. He cited the inability to bear the current humiliation of criticism on social media and defamatory comments from politicians. Shortly after his resignation, he was appointed director of the National Medical College in Calcutta, a move that sparked further anger. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the government and concerned authorities to grant him extended leave while also criticizing his immediate reinstatement. – Appointment to the National Medical College, Calcutta.

Protests

The incident received widespread media coverage and sparked outrage across the country, especially within the medical community, as student unions and colleagues of the deceased demanded justice and better security measures on campus.

On August 13, more than 8,000 doctors in Maharashtra suspended all but emergency services. In New Delhi, young doctors wearing white coats staged a protest outside major government hospitals. Emergency services remained suspended on August 13 in almost all government-run teaching hospitals in Kolkata. Similar protests in cities such as Lucknow and Goa affected some hospital services. Hospitals that were the scene of the protests included AIIMS Delhi, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital, Kolkata National Medical College and Hospital, as well as RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

On August 15, shortly after midnight, police fired tear gas and attacked a crowd of demonstrators in the R.G. area. Carr Medical College after a group broke a barricade and entered the hospital. People threw stones at the hospital facilities and destroyed the emergency room and the area where the victim was located. A number of police officers and demonstrators were injured. Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal attributed the incident to a “malicious media campaign” against Kolkata Police. Kolkata Police arrested and then arrested 19 people responsible for violence and vandalism on the hospital premises on August 15.

On 18 August, East Bengal Mohun Bangal supporters planned to show their protest at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan during the Durand Boro Trophy match. But due to security concerns, the match was canceled on the same day and plans were made to move it elsewhere. The cancellation of the derby led fans of East Bengal FC Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan to protest in the street near the Salt Lake Stadium.

Criticism of the state government

The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government has come under criticism for lapses in women’s safety in the state. The Indian Medical Association and members of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party accused the West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the state police of direct responsibility for the incident, alleging that the vandalism that occurred on August 15 was carried out by “TMC goons.” “In order to destroy evidence related to the case. TMC MP Mahua Moitra denied any allegations that her party and the Prime Minister were involved in a systematic cover-up, describing these allegations as “absolutely false and untrue.”

Social Media Response

Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt were among the celebrities who posted on their social media accounts demanding justice for the victim. Other celebrities like Sourav Ganguly and Mohammed Siraj called for severe punishment for the criminals. Former cricketer and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has written a letter requesting the Prime Minister and Governor of West Bengal to take quick action on the issue.

International

The incident attracted international attention and sparked protests in Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.