Today is four months to the day that the body of a trainee doctor was found at the state-run R.G. Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The incident set off unprecedented Bengal-wide protests which culminated in a hunger strike by junior doctors.
For three of these four months, the doctor’s house in Sodpur, on the outskirts of Kolkata, had been under strict police surveillance. Navigating through barricades and rounds of questioning by police officers was the norm if you wanted to reach her house.
Now, only three unarmed police officers stand guard outside it. No thorough checks, no interrogations, no restrictions remain. The streets, once lined with protest banners, now stand bare. Yet, Rabindranath Tagore’s words still hang in front of the late doctor’s home: “He who does injustice and he who tolerates it, may divine wrath strike them both.”
The doctor’s father, a tailor and garment maker, has resumed work to make ends meet. Her mother spends her days tending to her daughter’s belongings. Last week, they opened a social media page titled ‘Truth and Justice: Voice for RG Kar Victim’.
The grieving parents spoke to The Wire about hope for justice and why there is a lack of it now. According to Supreme Court directions, The Wire is withholding the names of the doctor’s parents and identifying them by ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’.
Four months after the incident, are you satisfied with the investigation?
Father: Not entirely. Initially, the police charged only one individual [civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy]. Later, the CBI arrested two more, but hasn’t filed a chargesheet yet. We’re waiting to see if they file a supplementary charge sheet. It’s worrying that the country’s top investigative agency is taking so much time, but we’re still hopeful. Kolkata Police had deliberately tried to destroy evidence, whereas the CBI is investigating. Let’s see where this goes.
The CBI is handling the case now, but so far, both their findings and the initial Kolkata Police investigation have pointed to a single perpetrator. What are your thoughts on the CBI’s role?
Father: It’s a brutal murder that occurred inside a closed room. We have no choice but to trust the CBI. Yes, doubts and questions are being raised, but we hope for swift justice. The entire nation and the world are watching this case.
You tried to meet Union home minister Amit Shah, but could not. Do you think this has impacted the investigation?
Father: It’s hard to say. The CBI, the premier investigative agency in the country, is conducting the investigation. There are questions about their actions and the chargesheet. We had sought Amit Shah’s attention because, as the Union home minister, his intervention could expedite a neutral investigation. We waited an entire day in Kolkata while he was in town but did not get even a few minutes with him. Sukanta Majumdar, the BJP’s state president, didn’t even extend basic human decency toward us. I do not mean to say that the investigation might be connected to Amit Shah, other top BJP leaders, or the CBI. We simply approached them seeking justice. While BJP initially stood for this cause, I cannot explain why their stance changed later.
Did the CBI visit your house or question you?
Father: Yes, they visited us four or five times, and asked several questions. We provided them with all the details they asked for. However, we have no clarity on how the investigation is progressing. We simply answer whatever they ask.
Under the then-Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the case while it was being heard at the Calcutta high court. Now, are you satisfied with the pace and direction of the court proceedings?
Father: The Chief Justice reviewed seven status reports submitted in sealed envelopes. We don’t know what was in them. No new directives were issued to the CBI after these reports. Of course we are disappointed. While he [the then CJI] mentioned that the CBI is on the right track, no fresh guidelines were given after reviewing the reports.
You had alleged earlier that the police offered you money and threatened you after the incident. Are they still in contact?
Father: Initially, they stayed in touch. After the CBI took over, the police stopped reaching out. They’ve stationed a few personnel near our house for reasons known only to them. We have no trust in the state police. We don’t need them.
Is the state government in touch with you?
Father: No. No official from the government is in touch with us.
You have alleged that a local Trinamool Congress councillor had hurriedly taken your daughter’s body for cremation, against your family’s wishes and that he had signed cremation certificate, claiming to be a family friend. Has he kept in touch with you?
Mother: They tried, but we’ve kept our distance. We want nothing to do with such vile individuals.
Also read: The R.G. Kar Protests Reveal a Political Vacuum
Are opposition leaders still in touch with you?
Father: Yes, almost all opposition leaders regularly check in with us. Government representatives, however, have completely distanced themselves. Recently, former [CPI(M)] MP Tarit Baran Topdar visited us despite his advanced age. Other opposition leaders also come. On Constitution Day, I met [BJP leader] Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition, and Naushad Siddiqui of the ISF. They have expressed their sympathy and solidarity.
Are doctors and colleagues from R.G. Kar Hospital still in contact?
Mother: No, the doctors have distanced themselves. However, students from other colleges continue to support us and speak of keeping the fight alive.
How do you feel about two suspended doctors, who were seen at the crime scene and accused of threat culture, returning to the medical council?
Father: We’re joining the students’ protests. We’ll take to the streets for justice. We won’t remain silent anymore.
The protests seem to have lost momentum. Are you worried?
Father: It’s been four months. How much patience can people have? Protesters feel disheartened after seeing no progress despite their efforts. This frustration is natural given the prolonged investigation.
Also read: R.G. Kar: An MD Thesis I Could Submit, an MD Thesis She Could Not
Do you still feel the need for personal security?
Mother: No, we have nothing left to lose. Everything was taken from us on August 9. Now, we’re simply waiting for justice.
From the very beginning, we’ve been saying there were four others involved, yet no efforts have been made to arrest or question them. How can we believe that no one from the inside knows anything?
Father: The accused are not yet proven guilty, so they can’t even be called accused! What more can I say? The officer-in-charge of Tala police station has been suspended, but [principal] Sandeep Ghosh has faced no consequences. It’s shocking to witness all this.
Mother: Those who speak out for justice are being targeted in various ways – losing their jobs, facing attacks, and being punished through other means. Former Inspector General of the state police, Pankaj Dutta, was mentally tortured by a group of people. I am certain he was killed in a premeditated manner. He had stood by us from the very beginning. His death didn’t instil fear in us, it has opened our eyes. We will stand by his wife, and we will take to the streets because the streets are the only path forward.
We are deeply grateful to the people across India and around the world who saw my daughter as their own and took to the streets in protest. We understand the prolonged investigation, the lack of arrests of new suspects, and how it fosters doubt and frustration. Yet, while respecting the constitution and the legal system of this country, we remain committed to waiting for justice and continuing our protests in the streets.
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
