- Nationwide outrage and protests after Indian doctor’s murder
- Family devastated, demands harsh punishment for culprit
- Healthcare professionals call for stronger workplace safety
The rape and murder of a trainee Indian doctor in India’s Kolkata city earlier this month generated widespread outrage, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to demand justice.
“Please ensure that dad takes his medications on time. Do not worry about me.”
This was the last thing the 31-year-old doctor told her mother hours before being severely beaten in the hospital where she works.
The next day, we tried to reach her, but the phone kept ringing,” the mother said from their family home in a narrow alley a few kilometres from Kolkata.
The doctor’s partially clothed body was discovered in the lecture hall the following morning, with serious injuries. A hospital volunteer has been arrested for the crime.
The act has sparked widespread outrage across the country, leading to protests in numerous major cities. At the weekend, doctors across India held a nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), with major hospitals only offering emergency services.
The loss has left the family feeling hollowed out.
“At the age of 62, all of my dreams have been shattered,” her father explained.
Since their daughter’s tragic death, their house, which is located in a reputable suburb, has been the subject of intense media investigation.
Dozens of journalists and television crews stand behind a police cordon, trying to capture the parents if they emerge.
A gang of 10 to 15 police officers is constantly on guard to guarantee that the cameras do not capture images of the victim’s home.
The crime occurred on the night of August 9, when the woman, a junior doctor at the city’s RG Kar Medical College, went to a lecture room to relax after working a tough 36-hour shift.
Her parents saw the young doctor, their only child, as a dedicated student who worked tirelessly to become a doctor.
“We came from a lower-middle class background and built everything ourselves. We had financial difficulties when she was little,” says her father, a tailor.
The living room where he sat was filled with his profession’s gear, including a sewing machine, thread spools, and a heavy iron. There were fabric pieces spread on the floor.
He went on to say that there were instances when the family didn’t have enough money to buy their daughter’s favourite fruit, pomegranates.
“But she could never bring herself to ask for anything for herself.”
People would say, ‘You can’t make your daughter a doctor.'” But my daughter proved everyone wrong and was accepted into a government-run medical college,” he said, breaking down. A relative attempted to console him.
The mother recalled her daughter’s habit of writing in her diary every night before bed.
“She stated that she hoped to achieve a gold medal for her medical degree. She wanted to live a good life while also caring for us,” she remarked softly.
She did, too.
The father, a high blood pressure patient, stated that his daughter always made sure he took his medications on time.
“Once, I ran out of pills and decided to buy more the next day. But she found out, and even though it was around 10 or 11 p.m., she declared no one would eat until the medicine arrived,” he explained.
“That’s how she was—she never let me worry about anything.”
Her mother listened closely, her hands continuously caressing a gold bangle on her wrist—one she had purchased alongside her daughter.
The parents stated that their daughter’s marriage was nearly finished.
But she would tell us not to worry and say she would continue to take care of all our expenses even after marriage,” stated the man’s dad.
As he stated those words, the mother started crying, her soft tears echoing in the background.
Her gaze occasionally wandered to the stairs leading to their daughter’s room.
The door has been closed since August 10th, and her parents have not visited since learning of her death.
They still can’t believe their daughter was subjected to something “so barbaric” at work.
“The hospital should be a safe place,” the parent explained.
Violence against women is a big issue in India, with an average of 90 rapes reported per day in 2022, according to government figures.
The parents said their daughter’s death brought back memories of a 2012 incident in which a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern was gang-raped on a moving bus in the capital Delhi. Her injuries proved fatal.
Following the assault, which made international headlines and sparked weeks of protests, India toughened its rules against sexual violence.
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However, the number of recorded sexual assaults has increased, and women continue to face barriers to justice.
Last week, hundreds marched in Kolkata to demand protection for women around the country as part of the Reclaim the Night campaign.
The doctor’s case has also highlighted the issues faced by healthcare professionals, who have sought a fair and impartial inquiry into the murder, as well as a federal law to protect them—particularly women—at work.
Federal Health Minister JP Nadda has informed doctors that he will implement strong steps to improve safety in their working settings.
However, the doctor’s parents believe that it is too late.
We want the harshest punishment for the culprit,” the father stated.
Our state, our country, and the whole world are asking for justice for our daughter.
