Kolkata, 03 August (H.S.): Ratna Debnath, the mother of the junior doctor who was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024, has announced that she will observe seven days of self-seclusion ahead of the second anniversary of the incident.
Debnath, who is now the BJP MLA from the Panihati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district, made the announcement through a social media post on Sunday night. While she did not explicitly mention the reason for her decision, she indicated that she would remain away from public life for personal reasons over the next seven days.
I am seeking seven days' time from everyone for personal reasons. I will not be able to communicate with anyone over the phone or in person during this period. I will also not attend any political or social programmes. However, official work at my public office will continue. I seek your understanding and forgiveness for my absence, she wrote.
Since entering active politics and being elected to the West Bengal Assembly, Debnath has frequently spoken about the profound personal loss she continues to endure following her daughter's death. Recalling the incident during a recent interaction with journalists, she urged people to reflect on the suffering her daughter experienced on the night of August 8, 2024.
The body of the young doctor was discovered inside a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the morning of August 9, 2024. Investigators concluded that she had been raped and murdered while on duty the previous night.
The crime sparked widespread protests across West Bengal and later across the country, drawing national attention and demands for justice. The investigation, initially conducted by Kolkata Police, was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following directions from the Calcutta High Court.
Former Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, the CBI has recently initiated a fresh investigation under a new Investigating Officer after the Calcutta High Court directed the agency to re-examine certain aspects of the case.
With the second anniversary of the crime approaching on August 8, renewed investigative efforts and the victim's mother's decision to withdraw from public life have once again brought the case into public focus.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
