Each flame of thousands of candles represent a life extinguished too soon, and a plea for justice
By Nasir Aijaz
The tragic and brutal gang-rape and murder of Dr. Moumita Debnatha, a young medic in a government-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital of Kolkata on August 9, has sent shockwaves through society, igniting a profound sense of grief and outrage across India in general, and West Bengal in particular. The heinous act not only robbed a promising life filled with potential but also shattered the hopes and dreams of a family, friends, and an entire community who had rallied around her ambition to heal and serve others. The brutality of the crime leaves the entire society grappling with emotions, struggling to comprehend the depths of human depravity that could lead to such a horrific outcome.
The gruesome incident has not only shaken the entire India but also spread the wave of sorrow among the people of Pakistan, who have expressed their grief on social media and other forums. Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) too, in a statement, has condemned the incident and expressed solidarity to the doctors of West Bengal who are striving for justice.
Common Crime Culture
The gory incidents of similar nature have been taking place in Pakistan also being the common crime culture in this part of world. In my country, some of the brutal incidents of rape and gang-rape of women and young girls are reported, and others remain unreported, because the victims are hopeless of any justice. Just imagine the gravity of situation that 450 plus incidents of rape and gang-rape have occurred in Sindh province from January till date in Sindh province alone, as reported by the media. But the difference is that in my country, such heinous crimes receive prominence in media for a few days or weeks, and then no follow up, no protest, no justice – a complete silence overwhelms and the perpetrators, often very influential, are set free being exonerated of rape charges by the courts of justice, or the case files are closed for want of evidence or losing of interest of the victims and their families due to prolonged hearings in the courts.
Surprisingly, in certain cases, the police officials exert pressure on the victims and their families to keep mum – directly supporting the perpetrators, as has been reported by Indian media in Kolkata rape case, where huge amount has been offered to the parents of victim.
“You must thank God, you are alive, as in many cases the rape victims are murdered” – such kind of words are generally uttered by the police, like an American author Alice Sebold, herself a rape victim, who was told by the police that ‘She is lucky being still alive.” She wrote a book ‘Lucky’ in 1999, and the title of her memoir stemmed from a conversation with a police officer who told her that another woman had been raped and murdered at the same location, and that Sebold was “lucky” because she hadn’t been killed.
The police and judiciary do not realize the agonies of surviving rape victims, who have to spend rest of their lives in trauma. They carry this burden for the life, as a rape victim in America had stated, “The past is written on my body. The past sometimes feels like it might kill me. It is a very heavy burden.”
Read: Suicide of medical student gives birth to many questions
There are many resemblances in such heinous crimes having taken place in India and Pakistan. One of such similarities is that at the initial stage the victims are declared ‘having committed suicide’, as was done by the Kolkata hospital administration. While going through the media reports about Kolkata incident, I learnt that a similar incident had taken place in 2021 when a young female doctor Payal, reportedly, committed suicide by jumping from the same hospital building. It reminded me of two such incidents that occurred in a girls’ hostel of a medical college of Sindh province, where two girls – Nimirta Kumari and Nousheen Bukhari, were found hanged in their hostel room in 2019 and 2021 respectively. The college authorities had claimed that they committed suicide but the fact was contrary to it.
Evidence of Tragedy
The 31-year medic was on 36 hour duty and had just returned to her room for the rest when this shocking incident took place.
The Indian media reports quoting the autopsy results provide devastating details according to which deceased doctor’s body bore several injury marks, indicating a brutal and violent attack. “Several portions of the victim’s head showed signs of trauma. Both ears exhibited signs of injury, suggesting a violent struggle. Her lips were injured, indicating that she may have been silenced or gagged during the attack. Moreover, bite marks were found on her neck, underlining the severity of the assault,” reports revealed.
The post-mortem report, submitted at the Calcutta High Court, detected a significant amount of fluid in doctor’s body, suggesting gang-rape. According to Dr. Subarna Goswami, the Additional General Secretary of the All India Federation of Government Doctors’ Association, the post-mortem report mentioned 151 mg of liquid from the vaginal swab, indicating that the victim could have been brutalized by more than one person. The cause of death was strangulation of the neck and that there are clear signs of sexual assault.
The victim’s parents have also said that they have come to learn through reliable sources that evidence exists on record suggesting that at least three individuals were involved in the heinous crime of rape and murder of their daughter. The significant amount of semen found in her body further supports the involvement of multiple perpetrators.
Aftermath of Tragedy
In two murder cases of a medical college students in Sindh province of Pakistan, protest demonstrations were held for a few weeks, but with no intensity, and no justice till date. However, the situation with regard to Kolkata incident is much different and I hope that the protest will continue till the perpetrators are traced and punished.
The Indian media reports suggest that tragic incident has drawn nationwide outrage, leading to protests by junior doctors who have halted work to demand justice for the victim. On Wednesday night (The night between August 14 and 15), the doctors’ community and the civil society staged the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest in Kolkata seeking the justice for deceased doctor, and to affirm women’s right to safety and freedom in public spaces, especially during the night.
Candles flickered in darkened streets of Kolkata and other cities, as thousands of mourners gathered to lodge strong protest, and pay tribute, each flame representing a life extinguished too soon and a plea for justice. That night, I was watching the live coverage of ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest, and despite being thousands of kilometers away, felt as if I am there, one of the protestors. While writing this piece, my heart bleeds, and the tears are running down.
The pain extends beyond the individual – it reverberates through the fabric of society, highlighting the frightening reality that many women face daily. The collective grief serves as both a testament to the loss of a cherished life and a rallying cry for change, underscoring the urgent need for a safer world where every individual, particularly women, can exist free from fear and violence.
As the civil society expresses its condolences and support to the family of the young medic, the community of medics is trying its best to show solidarity with the grieved family and channel the grief into action.
The latest reports say that the Indian doctors have called for a nationwide shutdown of hospital services as public fury over the rape and murder of a trainee medic mounts. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country’s largest grouping of medics with 400,000 members, said the 24-hour shutdown would be implemented on Saturday (August 17, 2024) affecting most hospital departments except for essential services.
The shutdown comes after thousands of people took to the streets in several cities to express their outrage at the rape and murder of trainee doctor. On Friday, large protests were held in various cities – including Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, Mumbai in the west and Hyderabad in southern India – demanding justice and better security at medical campuses and hospitals.
“We want justice,” doctors chanted in Kolkata, waving handwritten signs that read, “No safety, no service!”
Demonstrators also held banners calling for accountability as they gathered near parliament in New Delhi.
It is a shared grief and passion for justice that can begin to envision a society that truly values and upholds the sanctity of life, ensuring that no family has to endure the heartbreaking loss that has befallen this young woman and her loved ones.
What is ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest?
The first “Reclaim the Night” march is often credited to Leeds, England, in 1977, where women organized a protest against sexual violence and the prevailing “blame the victim” mentality that suggested women should stay indoors at night to avoid assault. The march served as a strong statement against curfews imposed on women, advocating safer streets and communities instead. Participants in “Reclaim the Night” events called for an end to gender-based violence, and these events are usually held at night to emphasize the right of women to walk safely at any hour.
The protests in Kolkata also, driven by the “Reclaim the Night” movement, started at 11:55 p.m., aligning with India’s Independence Day celebrations at the stroke of midnight. Showing solidarity, the doctors at All India Institute of Medical Science Delhi had also observed strike on the same day.
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Nasir Aijaz is a senior journalist based in Karachi, Sindh province of Pakistan. He can be accessed at nasir.akhund1954@gmail.com
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