RG Kar Medical Tragedy: Over a year has passed since the horrifying discovery of a young postgraduate medical student’s lifeless, mutilated body inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Yet, for her family, peers, and mentors, the story has not reached its conclusion. Justice, though partly delivered with a conviction, remains elusive. What was once described as a case of suicide has now become one of the most contested examples of alleged institutional betrayal, slow justice, and suppressed truths in recent memory.
August 2024: The Night That Changed Everything
In the early hours of August 9, 2024, the 31-year-old junior doctor was found semi-clad and motionless in a trauma care seminar room of the hospital. Initial media reports and institutional communication hinted at suicide. But the bruises, injuries, and trauma told a different story. Public outrage exploded. Within days, under intense pressure from doctors, students, and civil society, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
RG Kar Medical Tragedy: A Conviction, But No Closure
In 2025, Sanjay Roy, a staffer at the hospital, was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and murder. But for the victim’s parents, the conviction answered very little. “The forensic reports indicated the involvement of more than one person. Why then, has only one person been tried and sentenced?” asked the father. The mother echoes this sentiment with even more pain: “Every day, we wake up with the same question—who else was there?”
Their anger is not only directed at the alleged perpetrators but also at the institutions tasked with ensuring justice. Their repeated appeals to meet national leaders were met with silence. Their letters to the CBI remain unanswered. “This isn’t just about our daughter anymore. This is about how institutions fail people who seek justice,” says her father.
The Trauma That Lives On in the Campus
At RG Kar, physical reminders of the tragedy remain. The trauma seminar room has remained locked for over a year. Colleagues refuse to step inside. The emergency block—partially damaged by enraged protestors on the night of the discovery—hasn’t been repaired despite official permission.
Students still avoid night duties in the same wing. Security has been strengthened, but the emotional weight of what happened lingers in every corridor. The grief has fused with institutional fatigue and frustration.
A Protest that Sparked Nationwide Outcry
The incident didn’t just rattle one hospital—it shook the conscience of the nation. Doctors from across India joined strikes. Medical associations, women’s rights groups, and student unions took to the streets. Candlelight vigils lit campuses and hospital courtyards. Yet, as months passed and headlines faded, so did the collective momentum.
For those closest to the victim, though, the protest never truly ended.
“The issue faded from prime-time screens, but not from our hearts,” says Dr. Soumyadip Roy of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front. “Justice delayed is justice denied. And in this case, we fear it might also be justice diluted.”
Gaps in the Investigation: More Questions Than Answers
Two individuals were arrested on suspicion of tampering with evidence—former hospital principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh and ex-police officer Abhijit Mondal. Yet, neither has been convicted. One of them, Mondal, was granted bail due to the CBI’s failure to file a chargesheet within the mandatory period.
This lapse has only strengthened the family’s belief that the investigation is being deliberately weakened.
The withdrawal of renowned human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who had earlier agreed to represent the family, added further uncertainty. Although the reasons for her withdrawal remain unclear, it left a visible void in the family’s legal pursuit.
The Emergency Block: A Symbol of Institutional Apathy
The unrepaired emergency block of RG Kar stands as a haunting emblem of the night. Permission for repairs was granted months ago, but work hasn’t begun. Some allege bureaucratic delay; others suggest deliberate neglect. Either way, its crumbling walls serve as a physical metaphor for a justice system that has failed to rebuild trust.
First Anniversary: Mourning and Mobilization
As the first anniversary approaches, fresh rounds of candle marches and vigils are being planned in Kolkata. Student unions and civil society organizations are preparing to mark the day with rallies demanding accountability. “We cannot allow this case to fade into archives,” says a protestor from one of the organizing committees. “This is not a single family’s pain. It’s a wound we all share.”
Meanwhile, the victim’s family continues to battle bureaucracy and broken promises. “We have stopped counting days,” says the mother. “Because what does it even mean to count days when justice feels centuries away?”
A Cry That Refuses to Die
“Who killed her? Why did she suffer like that? Why didn’t anyone come to help her? Why have they stopped looking for others involved?”
— Victim’s Father
These questions echo not only through the family’s home but also within the hospital’s old lecture halls, among tearful classmates, and in the whispers of junior doctors who still fear walking alone at night.
One year later, despite a courtroom verdict, the community remains in mourning. For them, justice is not a file closed. It’s an open wound, asking every day: Who protected the guilty?
External References
Also read: Home | Channel 6 Network – Latest News, Breaking Updates: Politics, Business, Tech & More
