Kolkata Trainee Doctor Murder and Assault Case:
A commotion arose, followed by silence. That silence was broken by more commotion. This cycle repeated in Kolkata this time. A junior doctor in a government hospital was brutally murdered, and yet the circumstances of her ordeal remained ambiguous – was she assaulted before her murder, or after? The question is critical.
August 8, 2024, Midnight
India's biggest Olympic hope was at its zenith, as star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's final round was live. Enthusiastic doctors at RG Kar Medical College had gathered in the hospital’s seminar hall to watch it together over dinner, a testament to the excitement surrounding the event in Kolkata.
Dinner in the Seminar Hall
Among them was a trainee doctor called in for emergency duty on Thursday night. After completing her duty, she joined four colleagues for dinner in the seminar hall. They watched Neeraj Chopra’s match, after which her friends left but the trainee doctor chose to stay and sleep.
Sleeping in the Seminar Hall
The seminar hall, usually reserved for occasional seminars or meetings, was often used by hospital staff for resting, changing, or taking short naps during night duty. On Thursday night, the 31-year-old doctor was seen sleeping in the seminar hall until around 3 AM.
Source: aajtak
August 9, 2024, 6 AM
The next morning, around 6 AM, the hospital staff discovered the bloodied, semi-nude body of the trainee doctor, riddled with wounds. The scene indicated that an assault had occurred before her murder. The incident caused a major uproar in the hospital, as a doctor was murdered inside a secure hospital building without anyone hearing a sound till the next morning.
The Doctor’s Killer?
The pressing question was, who could have done this? Staff, patient’s family, an external intruder, or someone else? Anger and frustration surged within the hospital’s staff, doctors, and students. Kolkata Police swiftly arrived at the scene and began their investigation. Initially, they had no leads other than the trainee doctor’s body.
Interrogating Seven to Eight People
Different teams were assigned to focus on various investigative aspects – technical examination, identifying suspicious hospital visitors through local sources, and gathering mobile phone records. The investigation centered on the seminar hall’s CCTV footage within the probable time frame of the murder. Seven to eight individuals were identified and interrogated based on the footage.
Tightening the Investigation
The police interrogated all individuals present around the seminar hall that night. Those providing reasonable answers were dismissed, while others were scrutinized further.
Sanjay Roy on Radar
At this point, the police identified 33-year-old civic volunteer Sanjay Roy, frequently seen at the hospital. CCTV footage showed him heading towards the seminar hall around 11 PM and later at 4 AM, appearing under the influence of alcohol. Investigating Roy’s background revealed his addiction to alcohol and frequent visits to the hospital.
Source: aajtak
A Crucial Clue
During the investigation, the police found a broken neckband Bluetooth earphone at the crime scene. Believing it belonged to the perpetrator, they reviewed CCTV footage. In the footage, Roy wore the Bluetooth earphone at 4 AM but not when he left. This suggested that the earphone was his, dropped during the assault and murder.
Connecting the Clue
The police checked if the Bluetooth earphone was paired with Roy’s mobile phone, confirming it belonged to him. When they checked Roy’s phone, they found numerous violent pornographic videos, revealing his mentally unstable and depraved nature.
A Shocking Revelation
The investigation exposed Roy as a mentally disturbed individual with a history of dysfunctional relationships. He was apprehended while intoxicated, and despite initial attempts to mislead the police, he confessed to the crime under overwhelming evidence, including CCTV footage and the Bluetooth earphone.
Attempting to Erase Evidence
After the crime, Roy tried to clean the blood stains at the scene and washed his clothes, but forgot to clean his bloodied shoes. These were retrieved when he was arrested.
Compared to Nirbhaya Case
The brutality of the doctor’s murder drew parallels to the infamous Nirbhaya case in Delhi. Her body bore numerous injuries, including severe damage to her face, eyes, and private parts.
Source: aajtak
Demanding Execution
Post-mortem reports confirmed the assault and severe pre-mortem injuries, indicating the doctor was tortured and then strangled to death. Roy, facing unbearable guilt, asked to be hanged as punishment.
DNA and Forensic Examination
Polices are exploring if others were involved. Forensic experts will conduct DNA testing to verify if multiple individuals were involved in the assault. Roy’s belongings were also sent for forensic tests to gather more evidence.
The Lone Child
The victim hailed from a modest family in North 24 Parganas. Her father, a small businessman dealing in school uniforms, worked hard to educate his only daughter in medical school.
Alcohol and Porn Addiction
Roy, a civic volunteer commonly seen in the hospital, often acted as a mediator helping people get treated, profiting in return. However, he struggled with a severe addiction to alcohol and porn.
