Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance of Kolkata rape-murder case, hearing on Tuesday

INDC Network : New Delhi : A recent horrific incident in Kolkata has shaken the entire nation. In this incident, a 31-year-old trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case came to light when the incident came to light in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9. The incident has sparked outrage not only in West Bengal but across India, resulting in widespread protests and strikes among medical professionals.

Following the incident, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has taken suo motu cognizance of the case. The hearing of the case has been fixed for Tuesday. The court's intervention comes in the wake of growing public pressure and allegations against the state authorities that they did not handle the case properly. The case is already under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but the Supreme Court's intervention has further increased the gravity of the incident.

The victim, who was a trainee doctor, was brutally killed at her workplace. Initial investigations have led to the detention of a civilian volunteer posted at the hospital. However, the victim's family and other protesters have alleged that it is a case of gang rape, and are demanding a thorough investigation into the matter so that all the culprits are brought to justice. The post-mortem has confirmed that the victim was sexually assaulted before her death, adding to the gravity of the matter. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest body of doctors in the country, has demanded justice for the slain doctor and has taken a lead on the issue. The IMA called for a nationwide strike to protest the incident, under which all non-essential medical services were suspended for 24 hours. The strike is a symbol of deep discontent and anger among medical professionals, who are concerned about the safety of their colleagues.

Following the incident, women across the country took to the streets and protested under the "Reclaim the Night" campaign. The campaign aims to demand safe public spaces for women. Thousands of women took to the streets on Wednesday night demanding justice and raised their voice against the incident. Meanwhile, the CBI has started psychological evaluation of Sanjay Roy, an accused in the case. A team of psychologists and behaviour analysts from Delhi's Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has reached Kolkata, where it is assessing the mental state of the accused. The aim of this investigation is to gather crucial information about the accused's mental state and his motive, which can help in getting to the bottom of the case.

Political parties have also reacted sharply to the incident. Congress leader Pawan Khera remarked that the Chief Minister should listen to the family's grievances with sensitivity after the victim's family expressed concern over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's silence. BJP MP Kamaljit Sehrawat also expressed deep anger over the incident and said that on a day like Raksha Bandhan, when the country vows to protect its sisters, this incident is going to shake the soul of the country. He accused the state administration of leaving the investigation incomplete and trying to hide something. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of failing to arrest the culprits and said that the Chief Minister instead of taking action in the matter took out a march, which shows her failure. He also accused the Chief Minister of neglecting the people of the state to maintain her hold on power. Senior TMC minister Udayan Guha's statement has also stirred controversy, in which he threatened to break the fingers of those who criticise Mamata Banerjee. The BJP has strongly condemned the statement and called it unacceptable.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has approved a 25 per cent increase in security deployment in all central government hospitals following the incident. The move is aimed at addressing the protests by resident doctors, who were demanding a central law to prevent such incidents in future. The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and brought it within the ambit of the judicial process. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and his bench will hear the case on Tuesday. The incident has caused deep concern and outrage not only among medical professionals but also among the general public. This matter has now become a national issue, whose solution the whole country is waiting for.