The National Commission for Women (NCW) had launched an inquiry into the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. In their report, they state that the committee has uncovered “lapses in security, infrastructure and investigation in Kolkata rape-murder case”.
A two-member Inquiry Committee was established by the NCW to delve into the matter. This committee, comprising NCW Member Delina Khondgup and Advocate Soma Chaudhary, appointed by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, arrived in Kolkata on August 12 to commence their investigation.
The committee discovered in its investigation that no security guards were present during the time of the incident, and security measures for on-call duty interns, doctors, and nurses during night shifts were found to be grossly insufficient. The hospital was also found to lack basic amenities for female doctors and nurses, with washrooms in a deplorable state, absence of necessary security measures, and inadequate lighting, creating an unsafe environment.
Furthermore, the findings highlighted the absence of adequate protection or safety for on-call female duty interns, nurses, and doctors, a critical oversight that may have contributed to the tragic incident.
To recall, on August 10, a trainee doctor was raped and murdered within the premises of the medical college. Later her semi-naked body was found in the seminar hall of the hospital and a civic volunteer was arrested in connection to the crime.
