The recent rape and killing of a trainee doctor in West Bengal state, according to India’s top court, “shocked the conscience of the nation” and chastised the authorities for how they handled the inquiry.
The body of the 31-year-old woman was discovered earlier this month in the lecture room of the state-run hospital where she was employed in Kolkata.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has assumed control of the case after a hospital volunteer was detained in relation to the incident.
The nation has seen massive protests in response to the crime.
The case was heard by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Tuesday, and she issued an order to establish a National Task Force (NTF) to recommend workplace safety measures for healthcare workers.
He enumerated other issues that medical facilities face, such as a dearth of restrooms and rest areas, broken CCTV cameras, guards at the doors, and insufficient arm screening.
Top doctors and government officials would be on the task group, which was mandated by the court to investigate the matter and submit a final report in two months and an interim report in three weeks.
The CJI questioned why there was a delay in filing the first information report (FIR), or complaint, in this case and criticized the West Bengal government and police force throughout the hearing.
The fact that the victim’s name and pictures were circulated on social media, he continued, “deeply concerned” According to Indian law, it is illegal to identify a rape victim, and offenders face fines or sentences of up to two years in jail.
The court also questioned why sufficient security measures hadn’t been implemented to stop the violence and denounced the attack on RG Kar Medical College, the scene of the crime.
Tens of thousands of women participated in last week’s Reclaim the Night rally, during which a mob damaged the hospital’s emergency department.
The top justice declared, “The state should not be allowed to unleash its power on peaceful protestors.”
India has seen a wave of fury following the woman’s death, particularly in Kolkata, the capital of the West Bengal state.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a nationwide strike, which was observed over the weekend by physicians working in Indian hospitals. All outpatient procedures and elective surgeries were discontinued, and big hospitals were the only places to access emergency care.
The IMA released a list of requests, which included making safe rest areas available, stepping up security at hospitals, and fortifying the law to better shield medical personnel from violence.
The West Bengal state administration, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been accused of mishandling the murder’s aftermath, which has further ignited a political dispute over the issue. Leaders of the state’s opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs India, have said that Ms. Banerjee’s administration is repressing nonviolent protesters.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was given the case by the Kolkata High Court last week after it accused the local police of failing to follow protocol.
The doctor’s parents, who turned down financial assistance from the state, have accused the medical college administration of neglecting to provide a safe working environment.
They informed the local media that they no longer trusted the chief minister and that they thought she was trying to quell popular indignation.
Ms Banerjee has defended the actions of her government, saying state police had completed 90% of the investigation before it was handed over to the CBI. She has also accused opposition parties of exploiting the incident for political gain.
Ms Banerjee said she wanted the investigation to be completed quickly and called for the culprits to be hanged.
On Saturday, the state government announced a slew of measures for women’s safety at workplaces, including designated retiring rooms and CCTV-monitored “safe zones” at state-run hospitals.
Meanwhile, the kolkata have served notice to more than 200 students, activists and political party members for allegedly spreading “false information” about the case and for revealing the victim’s identity.