The West Bengal Police registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) against former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Nirmal Ghosh and two others in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor. The doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The case was registered at the Khardah Police Station under the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate. This action followed a formal written complaint filed by the deceased doctor’s father.
Apart from Nirmal Ghosh, the FIR names Panihati Municipality councillor Somnath Dey and Sanjeev Mukherjee, a local neighbour.
Allegations of Hushing Up Evidence and Bypassing Protocol
According to police sources, the fresh FIR includes serious charges of criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and disrespecting a human body.
The victim’s family alleged that the cremation at the Panihati crematorium was carried out in undue haste under the supervision and pressure of the accused. As a result, this was done to prevent the possibility of a second autopsy or further forensic collection. Key points highlighted in the police investigation include:
- Bypassing Waiting Bodies: The victim’s body was allegedly brought to the Natagarh Kadamtala crematorium and processed out of turn. It overtook two other bodies that were already waiting in line.
- Missing Family Consent Signatures: Consent documents for the cremation did not carry the signatures of the victim’s parents or immediate family members. Instead, these were signed by local neighbours and associates.
- Fee Waiver Discrepancy: Authorities are probing why official cremation charges were completely waived under local discretionary powers. This occurred during the swift disposal.
Investigators have questioned staff workers at the Panihati crematorium to gather logbook records. In addition, they hope to establish the sequence of events that transpired on the evening of the incident.
Background of the RG Kar Medical College Incident
The case traces back to August 9, 2024. On that date, the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar hall on the second floor of the chest department at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Autopsy reports subsequently confirmed that she was brutally sexually assaulted and murdered during her night shift on the night of August 8.
The tragic crime sparked nationwide outrage. As a result, months of protest rallies, doctor strikes, and political debates over women’s safety and institutional cover-ups in West Bengal followed.
The Calcutta High Court subsequently transferred the primary rape and murder investigation from the local police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
While the central agency filed charge sheets against primary suspects and investigated financial and administrative irregularities at the hospital.
The fresh state police probe focuses specifically on the local destruction of evidence and protocol violations during the victim’s final rites
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
