Kolkata Horror Reminds of Delhi Doctor Rape Case 2007
The heartbreaking Kolkata rape-murder case in 2024 has reminded the nation of the Horrors of the 2007 Delhi doctor rape case. It has been 17 years and justice has not been served yet.
The Kolkata rape-murder case has shaken the entire nation. A rape and murder case that Kolkata police and medical authorities of R.G Kar Medical College tried to portray as a suicide. The autopsy report says, a 31-year-old doctor trainee, was brutally raped and sexually assaulted before being murdered via strangulation.
The two cases share grim parallels. A 27-year-old pediatrician who worked at ESI hospital, West Delhi was brutally assaulted, drugged, raped, and strangulated. She succumbed to her fatal injuries after fighting for a year.
She was discovered by her sister after 24 hours in her hostel block lying unconscious and several injuries on her complete body. Dr. Kavita was seen by her colleagues at 8: 30 pm in the mess while she had returned from night duty to her hostel block to rest. She had dialed a call at 10 pm from her phone. She was supposed to leave for Janakpuri the next day at her sister’s place.
Her sister grew worried after Kavita didn’t arrive on time and wasn’t picking up calls. Her sister decided to visit the hospital and found her sister lying unconscious on her bed. Worried and scared she cried for help. The victim wasn’t wearing undergarments, had an injection mark on her body, bite marks on her face, and injuries on her private parts.
The victim was taken to the hospital’s emergency room where she slipped into a coma. Thereby the victim couldn’t tell what happened to her and who did it. Two bottles of insulin and a syringe were the only pieces of evidence found in her room.
The brother-in-law of the victim came forward after five days of the incident, alleging that attempts were being made by the hospital to protect the accused. Hospital staff tried to destroy the evidence and portray it as a suicide.
“The hospital staff, in connivance with those who committed the crime, are trying to destroy the evidence. They know the culprits,” he said, quoting the media report. However, the public outrage led to an investigation that further revealed the horrors of the crime.
Similar allegations were made by the parents of Kolkata rape and murder case victim. The Supreme Court also said that attempts were made to pass off the horrific incident as a suicide.
Public outrage forced the government to intervene in the matter. After that, a Union minister went to inquire about the victim and reassured the family members by promising to cover the medical expenses incurred in her treatment.
This particular type of intervention compels me to think about how the authorities make false promises of justice, and no real changes occur. It has almost become a format now.
Similar allegations were made by the parents of Kolkata rape and murder case victim. The Supreme Court also said that attempts were made to pass off the horrific incident as a suicide.
Due to lack of evidence, motive, and suspect no arrests were made initially. There were no statements from the victim for she slipped into a coma. However, later a colleague doctor was detained who was identified from a farewell group photograph. Brain mapping tests were performed but there was no concrete evidence found against him.
The second suspect in the 2007 Delhi Doctor case was a close relative, who had an alibi and wasn’t in the town during the horrific incident.
The victim had a phone call with this relative a day before the incident who refused to take up narco analysis and a brain mapping test. The police then sought permission from the supreme court and the mentioned tests were performed but no new information was found.
Due to the limited evidence, the police suspected that the attacker was well-informed about the medical field.
The family of the victim were searching for a groom. Police had also suspected the presence of an ex-boyfriend or someone rejected.
Due to public anger and outrage the police arrested a nurse charging her of tampering with evidence. She had bungled with the ‘stomach wash’ samples of the victim. The Chief Medical Officer of ESI hospital had been arrested as well and charged for negligence. He had tried to tamper with medico-legal case reports.
The family and the public were once again fuming with anger because the hospital had claimed that the victim was living on the campus illegally, as her employment had been terminated.
The victim’s condition exacerbated with each passing month and she succumbed to her fatal injuries after a year on 17 April 2008. She weighed only 15 kgs when she did. The case also died with her. A doctor who saved lives not only went through the attack of the criminals but got no justice.
And since then we as a society have not become any better. The majority of rape cases go unreported and even when reported they meet unfortunate heartbreaking ends. It makes me wonder how me and I have come across so many similar stories.
Out of nowhere, news appears on our TV channels and social media platforms because somehow the attempts to shield the criminal and hide the crime fail. This news creates terror, anger, and thousands of questions in the hearts of all of us. We post stories, organize candle marches, and come out on the streets protesting.
This catches the attention of the authorities and just like children are given candies when they cry, false promises are served to maintain order. Time flies and the real issue sweeps out of our memory. We do not realise but we fail once more. The cycle continues and once again after years, news will appear. We’ll feel angry, scared, and hopeless.
It’s time to take responsibility and call out problematic behavior. Not just organize candle marches but improve our value systems. The mere existence of laws is not enough to bring a change, they should be enforced as strictly as possible. We as a society should call out eve-teasing, victim blaming and slut shaming. Take responsibility and work unitedly to make this world a better place to live in.
