A suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with the brutal sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. The accused, identified as Sanjoy Roy, was remanded to 14-day police custody.
The body of the woman doctor was found inside a seminar hall of the RG Kar Government Hospital in north Kolkata on Friday. Preliminary autopsy reports indicated that she was sexually abused before being murdered.
The accused was charged under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the Bengal Narcotic Substances Act and was produced before Sealdah court, which remanded him to police custody till August 23.
The accused was identified through circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage and a torn earphone found at the crime scene.
CCTV footage showed the accused entering the emergency building at 4 am with a bluetooth device round his neck. When he exited the building 40 minutes later, the earphone was missing. The device later paired with his cellphone.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal did not confirm his profession at a press conference despite multiple queries. "Whatever he may be, he is a criminal as he committed such a heinous crime. He deserves punishment of the highest order. Evidence against him has been collected," the senior officer said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek death penalty for the perpetrator and instructed officials to expedite the trial by moving it to a fast track court. Banerjee also offered to hand over the investigation to the CBI if the students and family demand it.
