Whither the ‘City of Joy’?

The tragic demise of 31-year-old trainee female doctor, the only child of her modest parents, whose promising career has been so brutally cut short is too deep for tears

By Dr R Neerunjun Gopee

When Dominique Lapierre wrote the ‘City of Joy’ in 1985, a story based in Calcutta – now Kolkata – he couldn’t have imagined that someday it would instead be referred to as the ‘City of Bhoy’, as a friend from there posted to me two days ago.

Doctors across India urged nationwide shutdown after rape, murder of trainee medic. Financial Express

‘Bhoy’ in Bengali, the native language of West Bengal of which Kolkata is the capital, means fear. This new appellation follows in the wake of the gruesome gang-rape and atrocious murder of a 31-year old trainee female doctor at the R.G.Kar Medical College and Hospital. It is one of the four medical colleges in the city, and way back in the mid-sixties I did part of my initial medical studies there. So, this piece of terrible news, as well as much that is happening both in West Bengal generally and recently in Bangladesh with the flight of its Prime Minister Sheik Hasina to the safety of Bharat and the ensuing genocide against Hindus in her country, aroused my concern and sadness too.

What follows is sourced from information given in Indian TV channels, whose reporters have been on ground following the events. That doctor had been on a protracted spell of night duty until the early hours of the morning, when she finally went to the seminar room to rest. Usually there are other doctors also resting there, but it seems that on that fateful August 9, she was alone. As  at date there are many unanswered queries, but it would seem that given the extent and severity of damage to the body, there may have been more than one person involved in the rape and murder.

From the time that the body was discovered a few hours later, and her kin was held back from viewing her body for nearly three hours, the larger picture has been unravelling. It involves the college’s Principal, highly placed administrative personnel, her professors and teachers, the ruling political party in West Bengal, namely the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who also happens to be the State Minister of Health. In what was clearly a political gimmick, she led a protest march demanding that the main culprit be hanged! Loose tongues wagged that he may otherwise let out embarrassing secrets!

It is a sordid story with gory details that are not worth repeating, save to point out that, as an unconfirmed source averred, that lady doctor had started to speak out – or threatened to do so – about the corruption and other irregular practices among the teaching staff. Later has emerged more information about a drug and sex racket that has been going on, again that involved the high and mighty.

But furthermore, what caught my attention in addition to the admin-political nexus, were issues raised that resonated with events that have been plaguing our own country for the past few years. As gaps in the investigation by the State Police were being revealed, the Central Government had to intervene and transfer the case to the Central (i.e. Federal) Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Skeletons have been tumbling out of the cupboard, such as why did the local police take so long to register a First Information Report (FIR), why were the kin held back for so long, why did the police announce that it was a case of suicide even before they had investigated properly, why was the body cremated in a haste after the post-mortem, why was the Principal reinstated by the government four hours after being suspended. what caught my attention in addition to the admin-political nexus, were issues raised that resonated with events that have been plaguing our own country for the past few years. As gaps in the investigation by the State Police were being revealed, the Central Government had to intervene and transfer the case to the Central (i.e. Federal) Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Skeletons have been tumbling out of the cupboard, such as why did the local police take so long to register a First Information Report (FIR), why were the kin held back for so long, why did the police announce that it was a case of suicide even before they had investigated properly, why was the body cremated in a haste Several other lacunae and irregularities have been pointed out in regard to the initial police investigation and the handling of the case by the State Government, and there’s a strong suspicion of an attempt to cover up, making a murder appear as a suicide. Once the CBI took over, the Principal has been suspended, and some people have been arrested.

But more than that, the students and doctors of the college started to protest, only emergency services are being provided. This movement has now spread to the other colleges and hospitals, and the protest movement has involved all sections of civil society and has spread countrywide.

Importantly, the Supreme Court of India has taken suo moto cognizance of the case, and a bench headed by the Chief Justice himself has already held hearings and has come up with an initial recommendation to suo moto set up a Safety Panel Committee for doctors. That will surely be enlarged later to include all health personnel, as senior voices in the profession have put forward as a demand.

This crime has taken place against the backdrop of political violence and mayhem racking West Bengal, and that has practically been the defining characteristic of the State for decades altogether. In the late sixties there was a peasants’ revolt that was very violent, with murders and killings galore. I was there at that time, and this revolt was known as the Naxalite movement. Calcutta used to be called the ‘city of strikes’ – everyday there would be one or two strikes somewhere in the city. Subsequently there were the equally turbulent years of Communist Party rule, and that was followed by that of the TMC, which continues to date. Post-poll violence associated with the TMC is endemic.

Now all levels of civil society across the country are clamouring for justice for the deceased doctor and her family and are pinning their hope on the Supreme Court. The tragic demise of this young doctor, the only child of her modest parents, whose promising career has been so brutally cut short is, as the saying goes, too deep for tears. If she and her family get the justice that they deserve, that will be at least some redemption. Om Shanti.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 23 August 2024