KOLKATA: In August last year, West Bengal was rocked by widespread protests over the ghastly rape and murder of a lady junior doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises.
Doctors, common men, and women had taken to the streets to protest, demand justice, and hold the state government accountable for its failure to provide security to women in workplaces.
On the anniversary of the tragic incident, another round of protests and rallies is taking place to demand a fair investigation into the incident and justice for the victim.
Last year, the body of the victim was recovered from a seminar hall within the hospital premises on the morning of August 9. While the sole convict in the case and civic volunteer Sanjay Roy had already been sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court, even after a year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had been unable to complete its investigation on the “larger conspiracy” behind the crime.
A quick look over the developments shows a mixed bag of achievements and failures of the spontaneous protest movement that not only rocked West Bengal but also the entire country and even some overseas nations.
August 9, 2024: The body of the victim was recovered from the seminar hall of R.G. Kar in the morning.
August 10, 2024: Kolkata Police started an investigation and arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy.
August 13, 2024: The Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the matter.
August 14, 2024: Women called for a night vigil named 'Reclaim the Night'. Thousands of people took to the streets in different parts of the state, including Kolkata, to mark their protest. The majority of them took out a candle march. At midnight, widespread vandalism took place at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, allegedly to destroy the evidence.