Due to the ongoing demonstrations by the medical community over the horrific rape and murder of a junior doctor at a government-run hospital in Kolkata last week, hospital services in West Bengal remain restricted on Monday.
A movement to support the junior doctors' decision to cease work at that hospital has gained support among interns and postgraduate trainees at state-run medical facilities throughout the state. This is the fourth day of the demonstration, and it won't end until the perpetrators are held accountable.
On August 9, the nation was horrified to find the semi-naked body of the 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor, who had been sexually assaulted and killed inside the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Following an initial inquiry and analysis of the CCTV cameras set up on the hospital grounds, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was taken into custody by Kolkata Police. Roy subsequently came forward and acknowledged his involvement in the crime.
Many high-ranking officials of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been suspended for negligence in the case, and the accused, who was apprehended outside the hospital while intoxicated, has been placed in custody by the police until August 23.
This timeline shows all of the events that might have occurred in the case thus far:
August 5–8: Sanjay Roy went to Salua, Kharagpur, to attend a meeting of the Police Welfare Society. He claimed to be on duty as a civic assistant and stayed there from August 5 to August 8.
August 8, morning: Sanjay Roy went to RG Kar Hospital, where he worked as a broker, to help with a patient's admittance on the morning of his return to Kolkata. He left the hospital after making sure the patient was admitted, but he came back later that night.
August 8, night: Sanjay went back to RG Kar Hospital at about 11 p.m. to help the same patient with an X-ray. During this period, the patient was accompanied by his family. Sanjay spent a short while with them before leaving the hospital.
August 9th,1:00 am: Sanjay went back to the hospital early on August 9th, this time around 1.00 a.m.in the morning, to assist a different patient who had a planned surgery. When he was done helping this patient, he stayed behind the hospital building with one of the patient's relatives and drank alcohol. Along with getting the patient's family an Uber bike for the trip home, he also gave them cash support.
August 9, 3 am: Around 3 a.m., Sanjay returned to the hospital's third level in the Chest Medicine building. He arrived in the seminar hall within minutes, where the female doctor was sleeping. He is accused of raping and killing her in this location. After forty to fifty minutes, Sanjay departed the seminar hall.
August 9, 4:30 am: Sanjay was seen on CCTV leaving the hospital grounds at approximately 4:37 a.m. After that, he went back to his barrack and went to sleep.
Later that morning, Sanjay Roy was taken into custody by the Kolkata Police from the barrack after they saw his suspicious behavior and had reviewed the CCTV tape. He was taken back to the hospital to be questioned.
August 9, evening: Sanjay Roy was taken into custody by the police after an extended interrogation. He is currently being charged with both rape and murder in relation to this crime.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/MBT Desk/MSM)