ATWO-MEMBER inquiry committee constituted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) investigated therapeandmurderofatrainee doctor at RG Kar Medical CollegeandHospitalinKolkata and submitted its preliminary findings uncovering lapses in security, infrastructure, and investigation. The NCW inastatement said on Friday that the site where the deceased was allegedly raped and murdered is undergoing sudden renovations, potentially leading to tampering with evidence. “The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognizance of a distressing incident reported by themediainvolvingthealleged rape and murder of a 31-yearold trainee doctor at a Staterun hospital in Kolkata. The Commission, deeply concernedbythegravityofthe situation, has promptly initiated an inquiry into the matter,”itsaid.“On10August2024, the NCW addressed a letter to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, seeking immediate action and a thorough investigation into the incident. The Commission’s involvement was triggered by a media report captioned“Kolkata rape-murder: Hospital official told doctor’s familyshediedbysuicide, say sources,” which revealed shocking details surrounding the death of the trainee doctor,” it added. The two-member inquiry committee constituted by the NCW included Delina Khondgup, an NCW Member, and Soma Chaudhary, an Advocate appointed by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority.

 

“The CommissionconstitutedatwomemberInquiryCommitteeto investigate the case,consisting of Delina Khondgup, NCW Member, and Soma Chaudhary, an Advocate appointed by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority. The Committee arrived in Kolkata on12August 2024 and has been rigorously examining the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the statementfromNCWsaid.The InquiryCommitteeoftheNCW found that no security guards were present during the incident, and there was insufficient security coverage for oncall duty interns, doctors, and nurses during night shifts. “The hospital lacks basic amenities for female doctors andnurses,withwashroomsin poor condition, no security measures, and inadequate lighting.Thequestioningofthe formerPrincipal,whoresigned after the incident, remains incomplete. The Inquiry Committee urges a thorough and expedited investigation,” the statement said. “There is no adequate protection or safety for on-call female duty interns, nurses, and female doctors. The site where the deceased was allegedly raped and murdered is undergoing sudden renovations, potentially leading to tampering with evidence. The crime scene should have been sealed immediately by the police,” it added.

 

The NCW is committed to ensuring that justice is served andthatthose responsible are held accountable.Inlight of the serious lapsesun covered,the Commissionurges immediate correctivemeasures toprevent suchincidents in the future. DURGAPUJA COMMITTEE‘NO’ TO DONATION FROMSTATE : THE Trinamool Congress has gone into firefighting mode as one DurgaPuja committee in WB hasannounced its decision torefuse the annual Puja donation by the State Governmentasatokenofprotestagainsttherape and murder of a juniordoctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. One of theoffice-bearersoftheUttarparaSaktiSanghaClubbasedoutof Uttarpara in Hooghly District, announced the decision oncamera to refuse the donationwhich has been increased toRs 85,000 this year from Rs70,000 last year.