Kolkata, Dec 25: The West Bengal Doctors’ Forum has called on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to rename Dorina Crossing, a prominent protest site in central Kolkata, as ‘Abhaya Crossing’ to honor a junior doctor who was brutally raped and murdered in August 2024.
The victim, referred to as “Abhaya” due to legal restrictions on naming rape victims, was found dead within the premises of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and demands for justice.
The forum said the name “Abhaya,” which traditionally means “brave woman,” has come to represent the fight for justice, security, and dignity for women.
“The name ‘Abhaya’ now symbolizes a movement for justice, security, and honor,” a forum leader said in the communique to Banerjee.
Meanwhile, protests led by the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors are underway at Dorina Crossing, decrying delays by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in filing a supplementary chargesheet in the case.
The delay resulted in a special court granting default bail to two accused:
- Former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh.
- Former Tala Police Station SHO Abhijit Mondal.
Both men are accused of tampering with evidence and misleading the investigation.
A recent report by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) raised questions about the seminar hall initially identified as the crime scene. The findings revealed no evidence of a struggle in the hall, suggesting the victim’s body may have been moved there to mislead investigators.
The victim’s body was discovered on August 9, 2024, in the seminar hall. Initial investigations by Kolkata Police, later taken over by the CBI, treated the hall as the primary crime scene.
The West Bengal Doctors’ Forum believes renaming the crossing would serve as a tribute to the victim and a broader symbol of the demand for accountability and safety.
This proposal comes amid ongoing protests and heightened scrutiny of the investigation, underscoring the state’s struggle for justice and systemic reform.
