A court in India has sentenced Sanjay Roy, a hospital volunteer in Kolkata, to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a junior doctor, a case that ignited nationwide outrage and widespread protests. Despite calls for the death penalty, the judge ruled that Roy would spend the rest of his life in prison, a decision that has drawn mixed reactions.
Roy, who has consistently maintained his innocence, plans to appeal the verdict in a higher court. His conviction has left the victim’s family devastated, with her father expressing deep shock over the life sentence. “We will continue our fight, and won’t let investigations stop… Come what may, we will fight for justice,” he told AFP.
Immediately following the sentencing, dozens of doctors gathered outside the court to protest, dissatisfied with both the investigation and the sentence. The 31-year-old victim, a trainee doctor, was found murdered last August in a seminar hall at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. After a night shift, she had gone to sleep in the hall, and her body was discovered the following morning, severely injured and half-naked. The autopsy report confirmed that she had been strangled, and injury marks indicated she had fought back.
The brutal crime sparked widespread protests and raised serious concerns over the safety of healthcare workers, particularly women, in India. In Kolkata, doctors went on strike for weeks, demanding justice and criticizing the authorities for delays in the investigation.
Roy was arrested a day after the crime. Federal investigators, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), recommended the death penalty, but the judge determined that the case did not meet the criteria for a “rarest-of-rare” crime, opting instead for life imprisonment.
Before the sentencing, Roy was given a chance to speak in court, where he continued to claim his innocence and suggested the involvement of others in the crime. The judge dismissed his claims, reaffirming the court’s decision to convict him on all charges.
The verdict has sparked criticism from some quarters, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, insisting that criminals involved in such heinous acts should face the death penalty.
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