Man found guilty in doctor rape and murder case in India
An Indian court has convicted a man of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor – a crime that sparked outrage across the country.
Sanjay Roy, a hospital volunteer, was found guilty of the attack at a hospital in Kolkata city of West Bengal state in August last year.
The incident shocked the entire country, leading to widespread protests and concerns over the safety of healthcare workers, especially women, in India.
Judge Anirban Das said the punishment, which will be announced on Monday, will range from life imprisonment to death penalty. Roy has maintained his innocence and had earlier said that he was being framed.
The victim’s mother told news agency AFP that if Roy is not given the death penalty, people will lose faith in India’s legal system.
The body of the 31-year-old doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found in Kolkata’s busy, government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024.
After a grueling 36-hour shift, she went to sleep in the hospital’s seminar hall. Her half-naked, seriously injured body was later found near the stage by a co-worker.
The post-mortem examination found that the victim was strangled and the injuries suggested that she had struggled.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seen by the BBC, Roy went to the hospital in an inebriated state and found the female doctor sleeping alone.
He was arrested a day after the crime.
The case was initially being investigated by the Kolkata Police, but the court later handed over the investigation to the CBI after state officials were accused of mishandling it.
For several weeks after the incident, doctors and medical students across India held protests and rallies demanding justice and better protection for doctors.
one such protest is “Reclaim the Night” In March, thousands of women were seen walking through the streets at night in Kolkata and other cities on 14 August, the eve of India’s Independence Day.
In December, the victim’s parents petitioned the Calcutta High Court for a fresh investigation, expressing lack of confidence in the CBI investigation.
He argued that Roy could not have committed the crime alone and said he would be satisfied only if all those involved were brought to justice. The high court has said it will consider the petition only if the Supreme Court – which is monitoring the case – directs it to do so.
The incident raised concerns over rising cases of violence against healthcare workers in India – many of whom face physical abuse by angry patients or their relatives.
A 2017 survey by the Indian Medical Association found that more than 75% of doctors in India have experienced some form of violence. The survey also revealed that about 63% of doctors fear possible violence while treating patients.
Meanwhile, sexual violence against women remains a widespread problem in India. Over 31,000 rape incidents reported in India in 2022According to the data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Many rape cases go unreported in India, largely due to social stigma around sexual violence and lack of trust in the police and judicial system. Activists say this often results in the victim being shamed rather than the perpetrator, especially in rural areas.
In 2012, the rape and murder of a medical student by a group of men in the Indian capital Delhi attracted global attention and triggered similar, widespread protests.
Public anger prompted authorities to amend rape laws in 2013. The changes broadened the definition of the crime, prescribed tougher penalties for sexual assault, and reduced the age at which a person can be prosecuted from 18 to 16.
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