Addressing the grim incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed its concerns over the systemic safety issues for doctors in India, taking suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student in Kolkata.
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud emphasized the broader implications of the case for workplace safety and gender equality. “If women are not able to go to work and working conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality,” stated the Chief Justice, underscoring the urgency of addressing these critical issues.
The case, officially titled “In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issues,” has drawn the apex court’s attention particularly because the Calcutta High Court had already escalated the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The incident, which occurred on August 9, led to a week-long strike by doctors, now entering its second week, severely impacting patient care services across the region. The protesting doctors are demanding swift action from the CBI to apprehend the culprits and are calling for the imposition of the maximum penalty to prevent future occurrences.
Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, also part of the bench, highlighted the nationwide protests sparked by the brutal assault and murder of the young doctor. The victim’s severely injured body was discovered in the seminar hall of the hospitalโs chest department.
On August 13, responding to petitions including one from the victim’s parents, the Calcutta High Court directed the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. The federal agency began its probe the following day, promising a thorough and expedited investigation.
