Kolkata doctor rape-murder case highlights: Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi over ‘increasing rape cases’

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Reacting to Supreme Court's remarks regarding the rape-murder case at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, CPI leader Annie Raja said, “It is encouraging that the Supreme Court is taking positive steps in this case. However, our concern extends beyond this single incident. The broader issue is the widespread brutality of rape and murder against women, regardless of their profession, age, region, religion, or caste. Such incidents are occurring repeatedly. We are troubled by how many more women will have to lose their lives before the entire system truly addresses these issues.”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: On Thursday, the CBI requested the court’s approval to administer a polygraph test to former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh and four doctors, news agency ANI reported citing CBI sources.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Regarding the Supreme Court's observations on the doctors' protest, Shivangi Singh, a junior doctor at AIIMS Nagpur, said, “Doctors are asking for just one thing: that the Supreme Court address our concerns and issue a ruling for us. The formation of the national task force is a positive step. Things have started moving, and we hope for a favourable outcome. Although the start was challenging, we believe the end will be positive. We thank the Supreme Court. This issue affects the whole of India since junior doctors are crucial to hospitals, and their protests can impact patient care. Our goal was not to cause problems, but rather to have our concerns heard by the SC, which we hope will lead to positive results.”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Chief advisor to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Alapan Bandyopadhyay says, “West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to PM Modi. She has written - Respected Prime Minister, I wish to bring to your kind attention the regular and increasing occurrence of rape cases throughout the country and in many cases rapes with murder are committed according to the available data, it is horrifying to see that almost 90 cases of rapes occur daily throughout the country. This shakes the confidence and conscience of the society and the nation. We must end it so that women feel safe and secure. Such serious and sensitive issues must be addressed fully through stringent central legislation prescribing exemplary punishment against the persons involved in such dastardly crimes. Setting up of fast-track special courts for speedy trials in such cases should also be considered in the proposed legislation to ensure quick justice. Trial in such cases should preferably be completed within 15 days.”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Following the Supreme Court's directive to the Union Health Ministry to ensure the safety of doctors, the protesting doctors called off their 11-day strike on Thursday. The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of Dr. RML Hospital in Delhi also issued a statement about resuming duties.

“In light of the developments regarding our demands and the Supreme Court addressing our concerns, we hereby declare the strike to be suspended. We have decided to resume all our duties. The recent incident at RG Kar Medical College highlighted the unfortunate conditions in which residents are working in our country. We have requested residents to resume services from 8 AM onwards on August 23,” the statement read.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: The General Secretary of the Resident Doctors' Association at AIIMS Delhi commented on the end of the 11-day strike, saying that the Supreme Court's intervention provided some relief.

“We were on strike for the past 11 days. After that, the Court intervened twice. It did provide us with some relief. The High Court fulfilled our first demand and transferred the case to the CBI. The second time, the Supreme Court took suo-motu cognizance and considered the case. Comprehensive discussions were held... Seeing all of this, the AIIMS general body has decided to call off our strike, but our protest and struggle for justice and for the safety of healthcare workers will continue... All our doctors will rejoin duty today itself,” he told ANI.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: AIIMS doctors have called off their 11-day strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College following the Supreme Court's appeal and its direction to the Centre to ensure the safety of public doctors.

“In the interest of the nation and in the spirit of public service, the RDA at AIIMS, New Delhi, has decided to call off the 11-day strike. This decision comes in response to the Supreme Court’s appeal and direction. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Supreme Court for taking cognizance of the RG Kar Medical College incident and addressing the broader issue of safety and security for healthcare workers across the country,” read the statement from AIIMS Delhi.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: BJP leaders and workers staged a protest over the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, "We, the Bengal BJP, are protesting to demand justice for the victim and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. BJP is committed to this fight; justice must be served, and the CM should resign immediately."

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: The Supreme Court has also instructed the Union Health Secretary to convene a meeting with the Chief Secretaries and police chiefs of states and Union Territories within a week to establish measures for ensuring the safety of medical professionals in public hospitals. The next hearing is scheduled for September 5.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: The Supreme Court has directed all states and Union Territories to take measures to prevent any potential violence at medical establishments. Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that CISF has been deployed at RG Kar Medical College.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Regarding the ongoing protests by doctors following the rape and murder of the trainee doctor on August 9, CJI stated, “The medical community needs to return to work. It's been over 13 days since the incident occurred.”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates: Addressing the vandalism incident at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during protests over the rape and murder of the woman doctor, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud stated, “This court has not prohibited the state from exercising its lawful powers, but we clearly affirm that peaceful protests must not be disrupted. The state should refrain from taking action against those who are peacefully protesting the incident at RG Kar College.”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: During the hearing, CJI Chandrachud noted that both the CBI and Kolkata Police have submitted status reports. As previously mentioned, the CBI is handling the investigation, while the Kolkata Police is examining the vandalism that occurred following the protest at the site. It also seems that a request for conducting a polygraph test has been submitted.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live:Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud questioned the situation regarding the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who resigned and was reassigned to another college following the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. He asked, “Shouldn't the principal have immediately come to the college and filed the FIR? Who is he protecting? And why was he reassigned to another college after resigning?”

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: Chief Justice of India (CJI) asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal why the FIR was lodged “14 hours” after the crime was committed, as the court resumed hearing the case of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: The Supreme Court will resume hearing after the lunch break.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: The Supreme Court directed the Kolkata Police officer, who registered the first entry about the rape-murder incident, to appear on the next date of the hearing to disclose the time.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: The Supreme Court continues to grill the West Bengal government over the timeline of postmortem and the registration of the crime as an unnatural death (UD).

'If it's not a case of unnatural death, then why was it taken for postmortem. Postmortem starts at 18: 10 and ends at 19:10, what was the idea in registering in UD (unnatural death case) at 23:30 hours. UD case was registered at Thala police station at 23:30 hour and FIR was registered at 23:40 hour. It's very surprising postmortem precedes the registration of UD. If this is the fact then there is something dangerous,' the bench observed

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: When asked by the bench about the medical injury report of the deceased doctor, the West Bengal government claimed that it is part of the case diary.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the CBI alleged that the agency took up the investigation on the fifth day and the crime scene was "altered".

The West Bengal government denied the claim saying “everything was videographed” and it has the timeline of each event.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: Counsel for the protesting doctors said overworked doctors in public hospitals do not have the physical energy to resist “even when somebody is teasing”.

The CJI DY Chandrachud said “we have gone to public hospitals, I have slept on the floor of a public hospital when somebody is not, we know that doctors work over 36 hours”.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: CJI DY Chandrachud assured the resident doctors of getting heard by the SC-constituted National Task Force to recommend safety measures for healthcare professionals.

Federation of Association of Medical Associations of India (FAIMA) and Delhi Medical Association had filed interventions seeking the inclusion of resident doctors in the National Task Force.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live: On concerns of protesting resident doctors getting marked as absent for duty, CJI DY Chandrachud said that the court will ensure that there is no adverse action against protesting resident doctors once they resume their duties.

“Over the past 10 days, while the nation has been protesting against the #RGKarMedicalcollege incident and demanding justice, 900 RAPES have occurred across different parts of India - DURING THE VERY TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE ON THE STREETS PROTESTING AGAINST THIS HORRIBLE CRIME. Sadly, a lasting solution still remains largely undiscussed”.

“With 90 RAPES REPORTED DAILY, 4 EVERY HOUR AND 1 EVERY 15 MINUTES - the urgency for a decisive action is clear. We need strong laws that mandate TRIALS & CONVICTIONS WITHIN 50 days, followed by the severest punishments, not just empty promises. State governments must act and urgently push the Union for a comprehensive anti-rape law that ensures swift and strict justice. Anything less is merely symbolic and tragically ineffective. WAKE UP INDIA!,” the TMC MP posted on X.