Kolkata Rape-murder Case: VP Dhankhar Condemns Incident, Calls for Strong Punishment

Kolkata: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar described the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital as a "painful" incident, emphasising the need for a deterrent ecosystem to punish perpetrators of such crimes. Dhankhar referred to President Droupadi Murmu's reaction on the matter, Dhankhar reiterated her expression, “Enough is enough.”

Addressing students at Delhi University's Bharti College during an event, Dhankhar said, "It is unfortunate to see the kind of fear girls and women have in their minds because of such incidents. President Murmu is a tribal woman herself. She has seen the ground reality. She rightly expressed in a media note that enough is enough for crime against women."

Drawing parallels to the 2012 Delhi gang rape incident, Dhankhar stressed that recurring incidents necessitate a robust ecosystem to punish culprits and instill fear in them. He condemned those who justify such crimes as regular occurrences, expressing his dismay at their mindset.

Dhankhar also criticised "anti-national" narratives, identifying them as the biggest challenge to India's development. He urged students to prioritize national interest over political and ideological differences.

The trainee doctor was allegedly raped and killed in a seminar hall of the hospital, where she had gone to rest during her graveyard shift in the early hours of August 9.

Her body with severe injury marks was found inside the hall by a doctor who was on rounds.

The main accused Sanjoy Roy was arrested the next day on the basis of CCTV footage, in which he was seen entering the seminar hall at 4:03 am on the day of the incident.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the probe to be transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which took over the case on August 14. The incident has triggered nationwide protests.