Supreme Court Commands West Bengal to Halt Forceful Crackdown on Protesters

KOLKATA: The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has expressed grave concern over the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The court has established a 9-member task force to develop safety protocols for doctors at their workplaces and has instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation to provide a status update by August 22.

Additionally, the court has urged the state government to refrain from using force against protesters demanding justice for the victim.

The Supreme Court criticized the West Bengal government for the delay in filing the FIR, noting it was registered at 11:45 pm despite the autopsy, which revealed the doctor was murdered, happening much earlier.

The court questioned why there was a three-hour gap between the autopsy and the FIR and why authorities failed to manage the crime scene effectively.

The bench comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also noted, “It appears crime was detected in early hours, medical college principal tried to pass it off as suicide.”

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Chandrachud said that the National Task Force (NTF) will focus on the safety and well-being of medical professionals. He also mentioned that the NTF will create an action plan to prevent gender-based violence and ensure respectful working conditions for all doctors, including interns and residents.

On August 9, a 31-year-old postgraduate doctor was reportedly raped and murdered in a seminar hall at the hospital, causing widespread outrage across the country. Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case.

The incident triggered nationwide protests by doctors calling for justice and new laws to ensure the safety of resident doctors in colleges and hospitals.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been criticized for how her government handled the case, and her personal efforts to address the situation did not calm the protesters.

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