The brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor has sparked outrage in India and an outpouring of emotion from women who are fed up with their insecurity.
On August 9, the 31-year-old trainee doctor was reported missing by his colleagues. Around 11.30 am, his body was found in the lecture hall of RG Kar Medical College in North Kolkata, India.
There was no designated sleeping place for the doctor during his break, so he entered the seminar room hoping to get some rest.
His body was found partially naked, with eyes, mouth and genitals reportedly bleeding. Authorities initially told his family that he had died by suicide and would not allow them to see his body.
But the report claims that 150mg of semen was found in him â more than the average amount after a sexual encounter â leading to rumors of many people involved. But the Kolkata Police denied this.
An autopsy later found she had been raped and sexually assaulted before being strangled.
His death sparked mass protests in India as doctors went on strike.
Hospital volunteer Sanjoy Roy has been arrested in connection with the case, and is believed to have had âunfettered accessâ to wards, without background checks before being recruited.
The 31-year-old womanâs father told local media: âAll the men and women who support me are like my children and I stand with them. We got a lot of support, but I need justice for my son.
âI hope the criminal behind the rape and murder of my daughter â she did not die alone â gets the harshest punishment.â
The protests and strikes led to Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal, resigning.
Women workers in India â not just in the medical field â are at a critical juncture.
Metro.co.uk spoke to a young female doctor â who worked in the same position as the victim â about the uncertainty in the workplace.
âResidency in India is nothing short of tortureâ
Dr. Sayali, 26, works at a government medical college in Maharashtra, India. She told Metro.co.uk that she has not experienced first-hand harassment at work, but many of her friends and colleagues have.
Dr. Sayali recalled one recent incident when an intern she was sent to a rural health facility with a male friend tried to assault her after drinking.
He explained: âAt night there is no suitable place. They both spent the night in the health camp area. He had to push people out of the room and keep them locked all night.
âAfter the episode, no official steps were taken. Itâs an open secret but the general attitude is that he shouldnât make a âfussâ about it and just complete his degree.â
The medical system in India needs âserious reformâ, says Dr Sayali, with the latest unrest just the âtip of the iceberg.â
âResidency in India is nothing short of torture. And Iâm not exaggerating. Itâs common to hear people say, âIâm lucky I made it out alive.â
âWeâve put up with this and thought, âThis is just how it is, how itâs going to happen.â But in recent years thereâs been an exponential attack on doctors.
âWe have also had protests, but no government has taken concrete steps. This time we will not remain calm.
âWhat is happening in Kolkata is unacceptable. This time is different.â
âJustice delayed is justice deniedâ
Dr Aditi Nagapurkar, 27, is a final year resident doctor in obstetrics and gynecology at Government Medical College and Hospital Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
She also told Metro.co.uk that the recent spate of rapes and murders in Kolkata is deeply troubling â and highlights the many problems and gaps in womenâs safety.
Dr Nagapurkar cited poor working conditions in the hospital itself, with lack of sanitation, security and access to patients.
He said: âAn impartial and impartial investigation must be launched to ensure that those responsible are identified and prosecuted without delay.
âAs they say, justice delayed is justice denied, and swift action must be taken to help restore faith in the system.â
âWeâre still living in 2012â
Thousands of doctors have struck and demanded action to keep their colleagues safe.
But the comparison also has an incident in 2012, when a woman, who goes by the pseudonym Nirbhaya â was raped and brutally murdered in a train.
After her death, some changes in the laws in India were made regarding rape, but the mother of the doctor who was recently raped and killed has asked if anything will be done this time.
He told local media: âWhen something like that happens, people start raising Nirbhaya.
âBut what have we learned from the Nirbhaya incident and the movement that supported it? We are still living in 2012.â
Dr Nagapurkar added: âThe 2012 Delhi gang-rape case, which sparked nationwide protests and led to several legal reforms, was a sensitive move. However, despite the changes that have been made, violence against women in India has not decreased.
The anger and sadness in the community was palpable, as they clamored not only for justice for their fallen comrades, but also for systemic change that would ensure such tragedies would never happen again.
âThe riots highlight the deepest need for better protection and respect for those who save others. It is hoped that the lessons of the past can guide this movement to push for more meaningful and comprehensive change.â
Contact the news team by emailing webnews@metro.co.uk.
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