'Cry for Justice': Eminent personalities call for serious introspection of law & order in Bengal

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) As many as 295 eminent persons from different walks of life issued a joint letter on Wednesday seeking justice for the junior doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month. 

Calling for serious introspection of law and order in Bengal, the letter titled 'A Cry for Justice: The Brutal Rape and Murder of a Young Doctor in Kolkata' also made some specific recommendations to enhance security for medical professionals at the workplace. 

"The recent heart-wrenching incident in West Bengal, a state renowned for its rich cultural heritage, has sent shockwaves across the nation. The brutal rape and murder of a young doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College is a stark reminder of the ironical deteriorating socio-cultural landscape and the grave threats faced by women in West Bengal, which is not only the land of Goddess Durga, but also the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore, who composed our national anthem.

"The administration, including the police, has failed to demonstrate a genuine commitment to women and doctors’ well-being, and their actions have raised serious concerns about their impartiality," read the letter issued in the names of Gopal Krishna, former Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Bhaswati Mukherjee, former Indian Ambassador to the Netrelands.

The letter signed by several former defence personnel, top cops, judges, diplomats, and senior government officials also made the following specific recommendations:  

* Increase patrolling and security in areas where doctors are on night duty

* Provide separate and adequate washrooms for female and male doctors

* Install functional intercom systems in doctors' rooms with emergency SOS features

* Conduct thorough investigations into the administrative heads of institutions to assess their role in ensuring the safety of their staff

* Reassess and reform the entire system to address the systemic failures that contribute to such tragedies

"Initially, the horrific rape and murder were misclassified as a suicide. The victim's parents were subjected to a distressing wait of several hours before being permitted to view their daughter’s body. A rushed arrest was made soon after, raising questions about the thoroughness of the investigation.

"It took intervention from the Calcutta High Court to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), finally paving the way for a more rigorous probe. The delayed handover cost precious time during which the actual perpetrators could have been apprehended, and vital evidence remained vulnerable to tampering -- all due to the state administration’s inefficacy," the letter said.

It also said that it was not an isolated event in West Bengal. 

"A common picture emerges where for the last so many years, the state has witnessed violence in many spheres of public life. Right from the violence during the election period, to the recent rapes, the law and order situation in the state needs serious introspection and immediate corrective measures are required."