RG Kar Case: Victim’s family attacks Mamata Banerjee over police suspensions

Fresh political tensions gripped West Bengal after the family of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim launched sharp attacks on former chief minister Mamata Banerjee following the suspension of three senior police officers linked to the investigation.

The controversy resurfaced after the current state administration ordered disciplinary action against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Gupta and Deputy Commissioner of Police Indira Mukherjee over alleged lapses during the probe into the 2024 RG Kar case.

Soon after the announcement, BJP MLA Ratna Debnath intensified her criticism of Banerjee and accused senior figures from the previous administration of shielding those involved in the crime. While speaking to reporters, Debnath alleged that several people escaped scrutiny during the original investigation. She also claimed authorities ignored key leads from the beginning.

Debnath questioned why investigators did not examine individuals who interacted with her daughter on the night of the incident. She argued that authorities focused only on selective arrests while leaving larger questions unanswered. Her remarks again pushed the case into the centre of Bengal’s political debate.

Meanwhile, her husband Sekharranjan Debnath alleged that senior officials attempted to suppress facts linked to the crime from the very first day. He claimed influential figures within the previous government interfered with the investigation process. At the same time, he welcomed the disciplinary action announced by the present administration and demanded wider accountability.

Outside RG Kar Medical College, reactions among residents and junior doctors remained divided. Some students said the latest suspensions revived painful memories from the protests that shook Kolkata in 2024. Others argued that the government should now focus on completing the investigation rather than continuing political confrontation. Tea stalls and hospital gates once again turned into discussion points as people debated whether the full truth had emerged.

The case originally shocked the country on August 9, 2024, after authorities found a junior doctor dead inside a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The incident triggered massive protests by doctors, medical students and civil society groups across West Bengal and several other states. Demonstrators demanded stronger hospital security, transparency in the probe and accountability from senior officials.

Investigators later arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy. A court eventually sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, the victim’s family repeatedly argued that Roy did not act alone. They continued to allege that investigators ignored crucial evidence and failed to identify others connected to the crime.

Over the months, the tragedy also transformed Bengal’s political landscape. Ratna Debnath entered active politics after the incident and later won the Panihati Assembly seat on a BJP ticket. Since then, she has frequently raised the issue during public meetings and political campaigns.

With police suspensions reopening old wounds, the RG Kar case has again become a flashpoint in West Bengal politics. The victim’s family continues to demand a broader investigation, while political leaders trade accusations over accountability, policing and justice.