India’s top court has said the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in West Bengal state has “shocked the conscience of the nation” and criticised authorities for their handling of the investigation.
The 31-year-old woman’s body was found earlier this month in the seminar room of a state-run hospital in Kolkata where she worked.
A hospital volunteer worker has been arrested in connection with the crime, and the Central Bureau of Investigation has now taken over the case.
The crime has sparked huge protests in the country.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, who was hearing the case, ordered the setting up of a National Task Force (NTF) to reccommend safety protocols for healthcare professionals at workplaces.
He listed out a range of problems plaguing medical institutions, including a lack of resting rooms and toilets, functional CCTV cameras, security personnel and adequate screening for arms at entrances.
The court asked the task force, which would include top doctors and government officials, to look into the situation and file an interim report in three weeks and a final report in two months.
During the hearing, the CJI also criticised the West Bengal government and police force and questioned why there was a delay in registering the initial complaint – known as a First Information Report (FIR) – in the case?
He added that he was “deeply concerned” that the name of the victim and her photographs were shared on social media. Indian laws prohibit naming of a rape victim and those guilty can be fined or sentenced to up to two years in prison.
The court also condemned the attack on RG Kar Medical College – the site of the crime – and questioned why adequate security measures hadn’t been put in place to control the violence.
A mob had vandalised the emergency ward of the hospital during last week’s Reclaim the Night protest in which tens of thousands of women had participated.
“The power of the state should not be unleashed on peaceful protesters,” the chief justice said.
The woman’s murder has sparked an outpouring of anger across India, especially in West Bengal state of which Kolkata is the capital.
At the weekend, doctors across hospitals in India observed a nation-wide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Elective surgeries and outpatient treatments were suspended with only emergency services available at major hospitals.
The IMA issued a list of demands, including the strengthening of the law to better protect medical staff against violence, increasing security at hospitals and creation of safe spaces for rest.
The case has also sparked a political row with the West Bengal state government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accused of mishandling the aftermath of the murder. Leaders of the India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in the opposition in the state, have accused Ms Banerjee’s government of cracking down on peaceful protests.
Last week, the Kolkata High Court criticised the local police for lapses and transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) .
The parents of the doctor, who declined compensation offered by the state government, have criticised the management of the medical college for failing to ensure safety at the workplace.
They told local media they had lost trust in the chief minister and accused her of attempting to stifle public outrage.
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 police have served notices 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.
