Mysterious Cloud over West Bengal

The entire country is in state of shock from the horrific incident of brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor in a renowned government medical college of Kolkata named "RG Kar Medical College and Hospital". 

The incident took place while she was in her night duty, possibly sometime around early dawn, while she was asleep in the seminar room after completing her 36 hour long shift in the hospital. There were multiple brutal injuries all over her body which was found in half naked condition by the hospital in the later hours of the day. The incident has spawned massive outrage and public outcry all over the country and people from all walks of life have come together to protest against the lack of security and safety for women and doctors. Doctors have called strikes and determined to continue the same till such time justice is brought for their colleagues tragic death. The lack of infrastructure, safety protocols such as CCTV cameras and the oppressive inhumane regime over medical students and junior doctors working in government medical colleges have also come into question. 

The issue however is much larger than just that. This is one of the biggest exposé of the state's complete and utter malfunction and perhaps malice in it's various affairs. As the investigation by the city police was shoddy and substandard at best and the Central Bureau of Investigation has stepped in under the directions of the state's Hon'ble High Court, there's a lot that still needs to be unearthed. There are many baffling loopholes in the way the authorities have proceeded in the matter some of which is summarised below.

PRIMA FACIE LAPSES

• The incident was first reported as an Unnatural Death Case by the hospital authorities. 
• The Principal was re-appointed as the head of another state run medical college of even greater repute. Presumably under the approval of the health ministry which is headed by none other than the Chief Minister of the state. 
• The body of the deceased was cremated on the next day without a thorough post-mortem or autopsy. This has been confirmed by persons of medical fraternity as the Post Mortem document has been made public. 
• There was a huge mob that vandalised the hospital a couple days later when peaceful midnight protests were called at the hospital and many other parts of the city. 
• The floor in which the incident took place was not sealed by the city police. Only the room where the incident allegedly took place was sealed. 
• Due to open access of the floor, the hospital authorities felt the sudden need to start construction work in an adjacent room, possibly breaking a portion of the wall in the room. There are more articles covering this in better detail, however the fact remains that the entire floor should have been sealed or at least access should have restricted.
• Amongst all this the police arrested one person as the "murderer and rapist" with the help of a remarkably inconclusive evidence - a piece of earphone that purportedly belonged to him.
• There has possibly been no fingerprint collection.
• There has possibly been no sample collected for DNA or other relevant pieces of direct forensic evidence which could substantiate the claims of the police. 

STATE vs CULPRIT

The Chief Minister of the state was quick to call a party protest right after the student protests took place. This was a baffling move as the initial outrage was against the lapses of the state government itself. Therefore, effectively, the Chief Minister was protesting against her own state machinery. The failure of the state machinery including the police's inability to not only gather enough evidence for forensics but also their inability protect the crime scene from possible contamination have been observed by the state's High Court. The Supreme Court has also taken suo motu cognizance of this issue and have made preliminary observations of the above lapses along with the delay in registering an FIR by the hospital authorities. To add fuel to the fire, the city police has issue hundreds of notices to internet users for purportedly spreading "fake news" and "hate statements" against the chief minister. 

At this stage, it is beyond doubt that the state government has been a complete failure in dealing with this situation. No matter whoever turns out to be the actual culprit, the "State" ought to be held accountable and vicariously liable for the continuing lapses in the system, from their administrative inability to have proper infrastructure and security in its institutions to maintaining a police force for competently carrying out an investigation of a serious crime. 

STATE vs PEOPLE

The party leading the government in the state had a unequivocal electoral victory in the 2024 General Elections. Needless to say, they're more than confident about their state legislative assembly elections. Any party that remains this long in a state, in this case since 2011, must have done things that resonate with the people of the state, so as to incline them towards voting them for successive terms. West Bengal's population touching almost 10 crores and the mandate of the people are surely with this ruling party. It is however a strange mandate as the ruling party has been mired with various controversies and scams since the very inception. Let us look at some of the known incidents and scandals ever since the government came to office. 

1. Suzette Jordan gang rape incident of 2012
2. Kamduni Gang rape and murder of 2013
3. Saradha Scam 2014
4. Rosevalley Scandal of 2017
5. Narada sting operation (direct involvement of TMC ministers) 2014-2016
6. Post-poll violence of 2021
7. Staff Selection Commission Scandal (Direct involvement of the former Education Minister)
8.  Sandeshkhali violence of 2024 (Direct involvement of TMC local leader)
9. RG Kar brutal rape and murder of 2024

It almost seems like there's one major scandal or incident every year. The party's strike rate has been consistent. The devolution of all these cases somehow end up to be inconclusive or in a perpetual state of abeyance. Today we see yet another incident unfolding in the same manner as the incidents above. Somehow the whole system seems to unable to crack the code as to how this party is eventually immune to any form of reprimand or abrogation from the state. It is indeed mysterious, almost as if there's a divine power that makes the party always prevail.