RG Kar Medical College Case

A trainee doctor was found dead, with evidence of sexual assault, inside a seminar hall at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, in August 2024, after an overnight duty shift.

The victim, a postgraduate trainee doctor; her identity has been widely reported in domestic media but this archive follows the practice of not restating identifying details.

Kolkata Police initially investigated; the case was subsequently transferred to the CBI following public pressure and court intervention.

The hospital administration and local police faced accusations of delay and mishandling of the crime scene in the immediate aftermath.

A trial court convicted one accused, a civic volunteer who had reported access to the hospital, sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The case triggered sustained, nationwide strikes and protests by resident doctors demanding safer working conditions at hospitals.

The West Bengal government and hospital administration faced sustained criticism, including over the conduct of a hospital official during the aftermath.

Renewed national attention on the safety of on-duty medical staff, particularly women, in hospital settings, and on protocols for preserving crime scenes at institutions.

The victim's family and some doctors' associations have continued to raise concerns about whether all aspects of the case were fully investigated.

Conviction of one accused secured; broader questions raised by the family remain a subject of public debate.