Rape is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. What has happened to the PG students of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata is utterly unacceptable. The autopsy report now reveals that the cause of death was strangulation, with clear signs of sexual assault.
According to the information from various sources the post-mortem report of the victim confirmed brutal and violent attack. Multiple areas of the victim’s head showed signs of trauma. Both of her ears exhibited injuries, suggesting a violent struggle. Her lips were injured, indicating she may have been silenced or gagged during the attack. Additionally, bite marks were found on her neck, underlining the severity of the assault. It further revealed that the autopsy found 150 mg of semen in the victim’s body, suggesting the involvement of more than one individual, which corroborated the suspicion of gang rape.
These shocking revelations from the autopsy report have not only raised serious concerns about the safety of female staff in the hospital but have also questioned the security measures adopted by the hospital authorities for both their staff and patients.
From a legal perspective, my first question to the hospital authorities is why there was no security staff near the seminar hall. Given that the hospital lacks a separate staff restroom, the seminar hall is frequently used by doctors as a resting place. A security person should have been present to ensure that no unauthorized individuals entered the seminar hall to cause any disturbance. The seminar hall is an important administrative block in any educational institution or hospital. There should have been security cameras both inside and outside the seminar hall. According to various reports, no camera was installed inside the seminar hall, which is a grave oversight. Why they took time to report this matter to the police immediately after noticing the body? Also, it’s the responsibility of the police to protect the crime scene for collecting evidence as well as to prevent anyone with tempering it. But what has happened in the protest is again question of negligence in the part of the hospital as well as from the police because this can hamper the investigation process.
Another important aspect to highlight is that as a doctor, it should not be difficult to determine whether a case is suicide or murder. In this instance, when the victim’s parents reached the hospital after receiving a call, they were told that their daughter had committed suicide. How could a doctor conclude suicide in such a case, where the victim’s body was half-naked and showed clear signs of injury? It is human nature that in such a horrifying situation, even if the thought of suicide crossed victim mind, she would have first covered her body and would try to contact with someone. No girl would want her parents to see her in such a state, not even in her worst nightmares. This situation suggests a clear foul play by whoever is trying to disguise this murder as a suicide. A genuine doctor would not make such statements, especially when the injuries and condition of the body clearly indicate sexual assault and murder.
The presence of 150 mg of semen in the post-mortem report complicates this case further, as only one accused person has been arrested despite the passage of time. What about the other accused? The presence of more than one person shows how much the victim suffered and tried to protect herself from these predators, who mercilessly killed her after making her the prey of their lust. Doctors, who save lives and are often seen as a last hope after God, have become victims of such heinous acts in the darkest of nights, when there was no one to protect her body and soul.
This is not the first case where a medical staff member has been raped inside a hospital. We should remember the case of Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse at a prominent hospital in Mumbai, who was left in a permanent vegetative state after being raped and strangled by a ward attendant in 1973. She remained in that condition until she passed away in 2015. The Aruna Shanbaug case, also famously known as the euthanasia case, is a stark reminder that women working in the medical field were not safe in the 1970s- and, disturbingly, they are still not safe today in 21st century.
Despite the implementation and amendment of numerous laws aimed at protecting women, there has been no significant decrease in such crimes. This suggests that the deterrent effect of these laws has had little impact on society. Both of these tragic cases highlight the urgent need for the government to establish a committee composed of judicial, medical, and NGO representatives to evaluate the safety and security measures in place at medical institutions.
Additionally, there should be strict security checks to ensure that no one enters hospital premises while intoxicated, and alcohol should be strictly prohibited. Hospitals should have both male and female security guards present 24/7 to ensure safety. Furthermore, there must be separate restrooms and rooms with security guards and cameras outside for male and female staff who work in hospitals. There is an urgent need of proper guidelines that every medical college must follow this for the safety purpose of everyone.
We can’t compensate the lose what the family is suffering now because of this huge loss but we can do now is to stand together to make stringent polices so that no other girl can become the victim of such heinous crime of system and society as a whole.
It’s not just about the safety of medical staff; it’s about the safety of all women and girls who contribute to the economic growth of our country. We all play a role in our nation’s development, and in return, we deserve a safe and secure environment where we can work and walk freely. Whether educated professionals or workers in the unorganized sector, women are working tirelessly for their families and our country. All we ask for is a safe and secure environment in which to do so.
We all stand together in demanding justice for the victims of the RG Kar Medical College rape case and punishment for everyone directly or indirectly involved. This case should serve as an eye-opener for every medical college, emphasizing the need to strictly comply with safety standards to protect both their staff and patients.
Dr. Pyali Chatterjee, HOD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, ICFAI University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
