Kolkata police arrest one in alleged rape, murder of student at medical college

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police said they have arrested an accused in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor who was found dead at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The semi-nude body of the second-year student of the respiratory medicine department was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital in Kolkata on Friday. 
“The accused has been identified as Sanjay Roy. He is not a staff. Further investigation is going on,” said an invetigating officer, adding that he was arrested on Saturday morning after grilling. 
A preliminary autopsy report suggested that she was sexually assaulted and murdered. Police have registered a case of rape and murder, and a special investigation team (SIT) has been set up to probe the case.
The preliminary autopsy report, the officer added, also confirmed the presence of blood marks on the woman’s private parts, mouth, and eyes, while there were injuries on her face, belly, left ankle, neck, right ring finger, and lips.
“A bone near the neck region was broken, suggesting that she was probably throttled to death,” the officer said, adding the incident took place sometime between 3am and 6am.
The woman’s parents told media her daughter was found in a semi-naked condition with her spectacles broker.
The 28-year-old was on duty on Thursday night, a doctor at the hospital told reporters, requesting anonymity. “She also had dinner with her juniors and later went to the seminar room since there is no separate on-call room to take some rest.”
On Friday morning, her body was found in the seminar room on the fourth floor of the emergency department building. “A security guard first spotted the body. Her laptop, bag, and mobile were found on the spot,” the doctor added.
After receiving information about the incident, Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal and West Bengal health secretary NS Nigam visited the hospital and held a meeting with senior hospital officials.
Police collected the duty roster of doctors and other staff who were on duty on Thursday night at the hospital.
The incident triggered a protest at the hospital, with fellow PG trainees and doctors at the hospital demanding that the autopsy of the body be conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate.
Initially, PG trainees and doctors had refused to hand over the body to the police until their demands were met.
Officials familiar with the matter said the hospital has set up an 11-member probe committee, headed by Dr B Mukherjee, dean of the students’ body, to look into the incident.