The body of the 31-year-old doctor raped and murdered on duty at RG Kar Medical Hospital in Kolkata had multiple injury marks suggesting violent assault, an initial autopsy report has revealed. "There was bleeding from both her eyes and mouth, injuries over the face and nails. The victim was also bleeding from her private parts. She also has injuries in her belly, left leg… neck, in her right hand, ring finger and… lips," the report said. It also ruled out suicide.
"This is definitely not a case of suicide; the woman was murdered following sexual assault," a police officer told news agency PTI.
"It seems that she was first strangulated and then smothered to death. We are waiting for the full report of the autopsy," another police officer told PTI.
One person has been arrested in connection with the crime that has shaken the state and sparked massive protests by doctors. The Opposition has targeted the Mamata Banerjee government over the incident at the state-run hospital. The ruling Trinamool Congress has responded that it is leaving no stone unturned to ensure strict punishment for the perpetrator and said it is open to a central agency investigation too.
The victim was a postgraduate trainee of chest medicine and was on night duty when the incident took place. Her body was found on Friday morning at a seminar hall of the hospital.
A doctor at the hospital told PTI, "She had dinner with her juniors around 2 am. She then went to the seminar room since there is no separate on-call room to take some rest. In the morning, we found her body there."
The accused, according to multiple reports, is a civic volunteer. The police, however, refused to confirm this and said that he is only a criminal for them. The accused, it is learnt, was tracked down after police found a bluetooth headset at the crime scene. Police then tracked the CCTV footage that placed him at the crime spot.
The incident has sparked a massive political row, with the BJP and other Opposition parties demanding a CBI probe. Union Minister and state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar has said, "You can hide the data in the National Crime Records. But the kind of incidents that are happening prove that they (women) are not in a good situation."
The ruling Trinamool Congress has said they are open to a probe by any agency. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured that she will seek death penalty for the perpetrator. Ms Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has said those convicted in such cases should be given "capital punishment or encounter". "The Centre should bring in an ordinance calling for immediate action against such culprits. This could be made into an amendment after six months," he said, assuring that the Trinamool will support such a law. He hoped that the other Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, would have no objection either.
Mr Banerjee said such a law would prevent prolonged trials that can last five to six years and save taxpayers' money. "These rapists, who don't deserve to live in society, should be dealt with either through encounter or by hanging," he said.
