‘They’ll drag this till we’re dead’: Parents wait in vain for Justice in Kolkata doctor rape-murder case

Kolkata: Nearly a year after a young doctor was raped and murdered in a locked seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, her parents remain in anguish, still waiting for justice to be served. Their trust now rests solely with the judiciary.

"We have lost all faith in the police and the CBI. For reasons best known to them, the CBI appears compromised, either politically or otherwise. They are just parroting what the Kolkata Police had said," her father told PTI.

The 26-year-old postgraduate medical trainee was found dead on August 9 last year in a seminar room of the Chest Medicine Department, located on the fourth floor of the hospital’s emergency wing. The brutality of the crime, coupled with its occurrence in a state-run hospital, sparked outrage throughout West Bengal and beyond.

Massive protests followed, with students, doctors, and civil society members taking to the streets. However, a year later, the victim’s family says justice has yet to be delivered.

"It wasn't just a murder... it was a message that even the brightest women aren't safe, not even inside a hospital," the woman’s father said.

While civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and murder, the victim’s family and human rights groups maintain that the real truth hasn’t come out.

"From day one, we have said there was more than one person. She was a strong girl. There is no way only one man could have done this inside such a secure building. All the early cover-ups point to a bigger nexus," her mother said.

The father further claimed that evidence was deliberately destroyed.

"There were three bodies at the crematorium that day. Yet our daughter's body was cremated first. Why the hurry? Steps were taken to wipe out evidence," he alleged.

Two additional arrests followed: the then principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and Abhijit Mondal, who was then the officer-in-charge at Tala police station. Both were accused of derailing the investigation. However, Mondal was later granted bail as the CBI failed to submit a charge sheet within the mandated 90-day period.

"We were foolish to trust the CBI... they repeated what the Kolkata Police fed them. No new names, no new arrests, no answers," said the victim’s father.

"That alone tells you how seriously the CBI is taking this... they couldn't even file the charge sheet on time. Now they claim they are probing a 'larger conspiracy'. But we doubt they will ever file a supplementary charge sheet," he pointed out.

The family also referred to observations made by the Supreme Court, which had expressed concern over how the case was handled.

"Those questions still remain unanswered... all they (CBI) say is, 'investigation is ongoing'. That's not enough," the father added.

His wife questioned how such an attack could take place in a locked room inside a government hospital without powerful backing.

"We are ordinary people, but not fools. Our daughter was raped and murdered in a room that's supposed to be locked inside a government hospital. How does that happen without protection from powerful people?", she asked.

"What we got wasn't justice, it was a charade, it was a mockery of justice," said the father.

What weighs on them even more than the crime itself is the fading pursuit of truth.

"They say they are probing a larger conspiracy. But what conspiracy takes a whole year to even file a supplementary charge sheet?" the father asked.

"They will drag this for ten, twenty years, until we are dead and gone. That's their strategy. Exhaust the parents. Exhaust the people who are seeking justice," he alleged.

He also criticised the ruling Trinamool Congress, referencing the recent Kasba Law College gang rape.

"All three arrested have links with the ruling party. Incidents like these are happening again and again. Even after the outcry over my daughter's death, nothing has changed. That tells you how little this government cares. The accused must be severely punished," said the grieving father

Reflecting on his daughter's aspirations, the father expressed heartbreak over the life she could have lived.

"What makes our tragedy unbearable is that my daughter wanted to serve the poor. Her dreams now lie locked inside a wooden trunk, her stethoscope, half-written thesis notes, and medals from the medical school. She wanted to open a clinic for the poor people... she just wanted to heal others. We lost our only daughter. She was all we had... now we just want justice before we die. But we'll keep fighting till the end," he said with tears.

Protests to resume from Aug 9
Public outrage has quieted since the initial protests. Social media attention has faded, and political leaders who once stood in solidarity have disappeared from the scene.

"The state used our daughter's death like a talking point," said the father.

"Now, as the cameras have gone, so have they. But people from all walks of life stood with us. And the people's movement will rise again."

To mark the first anniversary of her death, two public demonstrations are planned on August 9, including a march to the Chief Minister's residence in Kalighat. ‘Abhaya Mancha’, a collective formed in response to the case, will observe Raksha Bandhan that day. On August 14, they will organise a 'Reclaim the Night' march across Kolkata and its suburbs.

When asked what justice means to them, the father said:

"Justice means truth, naming everyone who was involved directly or indirectly. It means jail, not bail. And restoring the dignity they tried so hard to erase... I do not seek revenge. I ask for the truth before I die."

"Our only hope is the judiciary... we are confident it won't let us down."