“Kolkata Police Pressured Us to Cremate Our Daughter,” Allege Parents of Doctor in Rape-Murder Case

GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 5th Sept. Serious questions are being raised over the Kolkata Police’s response following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The victim’s parents have alleged they were pressured into cremating their daughter, despite wanting the body preserved.

During protests outside the hospital, the victim’s father claimed that a senior police officer attempted to offer them money while their daughter’s body was before them. “We wanted the body preserved, but about 300-400 cops surrounded us, and the pressure forced us to proceed with the cremation,” he said. He also alleged that some officers tried to obtain his signature on a blank sheet of paper, which he refused.

The father questioned why the hospital initially suggested their daughter had died by suicide, raising concerns over delays in the autopsy and the filing of the First Information Report (FIR). “We had to wait for three-and-a-half hours to see her. Why was the FIR registered only at 11:45 pm after filing the complaint at 7 pm?” he asked.

The case, now transferred to the CBI, has drawn national attention, with protests intensifying across Kolkata. Residents turned off lights for an hour to demand justice, and prominent landmarks like Victoria Memorial and Raj Bhavan also joined the protest. Governor CV Ananda Bose expressed solidarity by lighting candles at Raj Bhavan.

Both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court have questioned the handling of the case, particularly the delayed FIR and the lack of a formal complaint from the hospital. During a hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked, “What is the reason the FIR is lodged almost 14 hours after the discovery of the body?”

Protests continue as the victim’s family and supporters demand justice, vowing to keep the pressure on until accountability is achieved.