Kolkata rape-murder case: WB Governor calls urgent meeting following Cricketer Harbhajan Singh’s appeal for action

After receiving a letter from former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, which urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose to take immediate and decisive action regarding the rape-death case at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Governor Bose announced on Sunday night that he had convened an emergency meeting with diverse representatives from Bengal’s community. The goal of this meeting was to inform them about the steps taken in response to the case and to gather their input.

The Raj Bhavan Media Cell tool to their social media account X and highlighted the Governor’s swift action on the letter from Harbhajan Singh. “HG (Honourable Governor) has called an emergency meeting of a cross section of the Bengal society to apprise them of the action taken in the matter and to take stock of their opinion in this regard. HG will be addressing Shri Harbhajan Singh on the action taken and proposed to be taken. HG expressed his solidarity with the civil society all over India who have expressed their deep concern over the ghastly incident and the apparent inaction of the Government in the matter,” the tweet said.

Bose emphasized that the protection and respect of women are absolute priorities and that those responsible for this horrific crime should receive severe and exemplary punishment. He added that those who committed the crime will face the law with full force and that their punishment would be exemplary. “Only then can we begin to restore faith in our system and ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again, creating a society where every woman feels safe and protected,” Singh added.

A postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata was reportedly raped and murdered while on duty on August 9. This horrific event ignited widespread strikes and demonstrations across the medical community nationwide. By August 14, the situation escalated as a mob vandalized the protest site and the RG Kar hospital campus, leading security forces to intervene and disperse the crowd.

In response to the unrest and to restore order, Kolkata police have enacted Section 163 of the BNSS around RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. This measure will be in effect for seven days, starting from August 18.