New Delhi: As protests continue to rage over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital, around 300 members of the civil society, including judges, former bureaucrats and former military officers, have issued a joint statement calling for immediate reform in the system and societal change in addition to justice for the victim.
In the joint statement, they said that the brutal incident has sent shockwaves across the nation. The civil society members pointed out the incident is a wake-up call for the authorities to prioritise the safety and security of women of all castes and religions.
They raised concern that initially, the rape and murder of the medical student was misclassified as suicide. “The victim’s parents were subjected to a distressing wait of several hours before being permitted to view their daughter’s body. A rushed arrest was made soon after, raising questions about the thoroughness of the investigation,” the statement added. Besides this, they also raised alarm that construction work was started within 24 hours just 20 meters away from the crime scene, “potentially compromising crucial evidence”.
“It took intervention from the Calcutta High Court to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), finally paving the way for a more rigorous probe. The delayed handover cost precious time during which the actual perpetrators could have been apprehended, and vital evidence remained vulnerable to tampering—all due to the West Bengal State administration’s inefficacy,” the joint statement pointed out.
It also said that as doctors engaged in a peaceful protest, they were violently attacked by a mob. The Kolkata Police stood by as silent spectators during this assault.
The civil society members underlined that patrolling and security personnel in areas where doctors are on night duty should be increased. Separate and adequate washrooms for female and male doctors should be provided, they added. The joint statement also said functional intercom systems in doctors’ rooms with emergency SOS features should be installed.
Thorough investigations into the administrative heads of institutions to assess their role in ensuring the safety of their staff should be carried out, they added. “Reassess and reform the entire system to address the systemic failures that contribute to such tragedies,” the statement said.
The joint statement was signed by nearly 300 civil society members, including Gopal Krishna, former secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Bhaswati Mukherjee, former Ambassador.