'They tried to…': Kolkata rape-murder victim's parents accuse police of...

The parents of the Kolkata doctor who was raped and killed last month have alleged that the Kolkata Police tried to hush up the incident and even tried to interfere with evidence. The allegations were made when numerous protesters, including the medical fraternity and supporters, took to the streets for a protest march in Kolkata to press for justice for the victim.

The victim’s mother narrated the ordeal that her daughter went through, saying, “Every time I think of the torment and the pain that my daughter went through that night, I shudder; she had dreams of serving society.” She embraced the protesters, saying, “Now, all these protesters are all my children.”

The parents have been very vocal on the issue of police unwillingness to cooperate from the time the case was opened. “From the very beginning, the police didn't cooperate with us. We could have seen a glimpse of hope if they had cooperated even a little. Even after such a crime, the police tried to cover it up. Evidence too has been tampered with.” The mother of the victim said.

The father also had the same sentiments as the mother, calling for togetherness in order to fight for justice. It will not be a piece of cake to get justice, he said, adding that the people of this country will have to fight for it, and this will not be possible without the support of the people.

The incident, which took place on 9th August, involved a doctor who was found murdered in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a state-run college. The postmortem revealed that the woman was raped and had been assaulted, with the woman having about 25 internal and external injuries. The surveillance cameras helped the police apprehend a civic volunteer who was caught on camera entering the hall.

Other contributing factors to the accusations include the delay in the registration of the First Information Report (FIR) by 14 hours and the initial statement by the hospital administration that the doctor committed suicide. The parents were also forced to wait for three hours before they were allowed to have a look at their daughter’s body, which was another source of pain to them.

The case has led to anger and protest, and junior doctors in West Bengal went on strike. The West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose has requested an urgent Cabinet meeting to look into the public concerns and address the protesters’ demand to sack Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.

The Supreme Court is to hear the case that has been taken up suo motu, and it is believed that a CBI report will be placed. The investigation that is still running and the pressure from the public make it very important to urge the authorities to be more open and to explain the actions being taken in this case.