Kolkata: For the middle-class family in north Kolkata, it was simply another ordinary morning. The daughter worked a long shift at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She was pursuing her studies and had made her parents proud by becoming a doctor. She’d contacted her mother at about 11.30 p.m. the night before and spoken to her, as usual. Her mom ended the call abruptly. If she had known it was her last, she would have done so.
Their small world was rocked on the morning of August 9 and they began a quest for justice after three calls in less than thirty minutes. The audio of the calls made to the parents the morning following the rape and murder of the 31-year-old doctor at the Kolkata hospital has been obtained by Cloudinger News.
The First Call
The rape-murder victim’s parents had testified in court that the first call was received at 10.53 in the morning. The woman who made the call has subsequently been identified as the hospital’s assistant superintendent. The timeline provided by the Kolkata Police to the Supreme Court states that the official “informed them” over the phone at this time, but it doesn’t go into further detail. The police timeline only records one call. However, the three audio files show that three calls were placed, and the victim’s parents were only informed of her death on the final call.
Victim’s Father: Could you please tell me what happened?
Caller: She is in critical condition; please arrive as soon as you can.
Father of the Victim: Could you please explain what happened?
Caller: You arrive quickly, the doctor will say that.
Father of the Victim: Who are you?
Caller: I’m not a doctor; I’m the assistant super.
Father of the Victim: Are there no doctors present?
Caller: As the assistant super, I am. Your daughter has been transported to the Emergency by us. You reach out to us.
Mother of the Victim: What transpired while she was on duty
Caller: You arrive quickly, as soon as you can.
The Second Call
A man’s voice may be heard on the second call. The parents have already departed for the hospital by that point.
Caller: From RG Kar (hospital), I’m speaking.
Mother of Victim: Would you kindly say
Caller: I take it you’re coming?
Mother of Victim: We will be arriving, yes. Now, how is she doing?
Caller: Come to the head of the chest department at RG Kar Hospital, and we’ll chat.
Mom of the victim: Alright
The news that the victim had committed suicide was relayed to her parents during the third contact. Judges have frequently questioned why the parents were mislead when this has come up in court. The initial call was placed by the Assistant Superintendent, who made this one.
One aspect of this tragic tragedy that has been scrutinized repeatedly by the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court is the contact between the hospital management and the victim’s parents. The parents claimed in their high court appeal that they were forced to wait for three hours. They believe there was deliberate delay in this.
On the other hand, Kolkata Police has denied this. According to their timeline, the parents arrived at the hospital at 1 pm, and ten minutes later, they were brought to the lecture hall, where the body was discovered. Courts have also questioned why the police had to launch an unnatural death case and why the hospital administration, under the direction of then-principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, did not make a formal police complaint.
