RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case

On August 9, 2024, a 31-year-old female postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered inside a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, India. Her body was discovered the next morning, showing signs of brutal sexual assault and strangulation. Local police initially handled the case but were accused of mishandling evidence and delaying the investigation. The prime suspect, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, was arrested. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe. Former hospital principal Sandip Ghosh was also arrested for alleged evidence tampering. The crime triggered nationwide outrage, with doctors and medical students striking to demand better workplace safety. In January 2025, a Sealdah court found Sanjay Roy guilty of rape and murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

On January 18, 2025, the Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court convicted Sanjay Roy of rape and murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sentenced him to life imprisonment until death, along with a fine; he was acquitted of other charges. The court ruled that the case did not meet the "rarest of rare" criteria for capital punishment. Co-accused Sandip Ghosh and others faced separate proceedings for evidence tampering.

The main controversies centered on allegations of evidence tampering by hospital authorities, the initial botched investigation by Kolkata Police, the demand for the death penalty instead of life imprisonment, and systemic failures in ensuring the safety of women healthcare workers.

The case sparked massive nationwide protests by doctors, leading to strikes that disrupted healthcare services. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance, ordering a CBI probe and forming a national task force to improve medical professionals' safety. It intensified public discourse on violence against women and workplace security, prompting calls for legal reforms and better institutional protection in hospitals.