R.G. Kar Case: Bengal Hospitals Observe Two-Minute Silence on Doctor’s 2nd Death Anniversary
Government hospitals across West Bengal observed a two-minute silence on Sunday (August 9, 2026) to mark the second anniversary of the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The doctor, a post-graduate trainee, was found dead in a seminar hall of the hospital on August 9, 2024. The incident had set off a wave of protests by junior doctors and medical associations across the country, who demanded swift justice and stronger safety measures for healthcare workers.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which led the most sustained protests in the state after the discovery of the body, on Sunday organised a health camp for underprivileged residents in Chitpur, north Kolkata. “We are holding the clinic seeking justice for the on-duty doctor who was raped and murdered,” said a doctor participating in the camp. The clinic provided consultations and free medicines to the local community, in a gesture that the organisers described as a tribute to the victim’s memory.
Around the same time, doctors, nurses and other staff at all government hospitals in West Bengal observed a two-minute silence in honour of the deceased doctor. At Swasthya Bhavan, the headquarters of the state health department in Salt Lake, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee and senior officials stood in silence. At R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the facility where the crime occurred, paramilitary personnel who have been deployed there since 2024 joined the medical staff in the observance.
The Supreme Court, in response to the incident, had issued a series of directives aimed at safeguarding doctors and hospital staff. Among these was the deployment of central paramilitary forces at major hospitals, including R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also called for the formulation of procedures to address violence and threats against healthcare professionals.
In the trial that followed, Sanjay Roy was convicted by the Sealdah sessions court and sentenced to life imprisonment, which in this sentence means confinement for the rest of his natural life. The verdict was delivered in a case that drew intense public scrutiny. The victim’s parents and several of her colleagues have, however, asserted that the crime involved other individuals as well. They have repeatedly urged the authorities to investigate what they believe is a larger conspiracy.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is currently probing the alleged conspiracy angle, following an order from the Calcutta High Court. The investigation is looking into whether more people were involved in the planning or execution of the crime. The CBI’s findings have not yet been made public, and the case continues to be a topic of public debate.
The victim’s mother, who has been a prominent voice demanding a thorough inquiry, was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Panihati constituency in North 24 Parganas district during the April 2026 state elections. Her political entry has drawn attention to the case at the legislative level.
The second anniversary comes amid ongoing concerns about the safety of doctors in India, especially women working in night shifts. Hospital administrators in several states have implemented additional security measures over the past two years, but medical associations argue that systemic improvements are still needed. The memory of the R.G. Kar doctor, and the circumstances of her death, remain a powerful reminder of the risks faced by healthcare personnel.
