RG Kar victim: Bengal govt hospitals to observe 2-min silence on Aug 9
Synopsis
Two years after the RG Kar rape and murder shook the nation, West Bengal's BJP government has done what its predecessor never did — ordered a formal state-wide tribute. Sunday's two-minute silence across all government hospitals, combined with a revived CBI probe under a new team, signals that the case remains politically and legally unresolved.
Key Takeaways
CM Suvendu Adhikari announced a two-minute silence at 11 am on Sunday across all government hospitals in West Bengal in memory of the RG Kar victim .
This is the first government-organised tribute to the victim — no such initiative was taken during the previous TMC administration.
A special programme will be held at Lok Sanskriti Bhavan, Panihati, North 24 Parganas , attended by the victim's family and CM Adhikari.
Sanjay Roy , the sole convict, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sealdah court ; no further arrests have been made.
The CBI has reconstituted its probe team — Sandipani Garg is the new investigating officer, under Joint Director Anurag Kumar .
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday, 8 August announced that all government hospitals and health institutions across the state will observe two minutes of silence at 11 am on Sunday in memory of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim. A lamp will be lit before the silence as a mark of tribute — marking the first time a state government initiative has formally commemorated the victim.
What the Government Announced
Chief Minister Adhikari made the announcement following a meeting with state Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee on Saturday. The silence will be observed simultaneously across all government health centres in West Bengal. Officials confirmed that the lighting of a lamp will precede the tribute, giving the observance a ceremonial character.
Notably, no such government-organised programme was held during the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration, which was in power at the time of the incident and for the period immediately following it.
The Panihati Programme
A special commemorative event has also been organised at Lok Sanskriti Bhavan in Panihati, North 24 Parganas district — the assembly constituency from which the victim's mother now serves as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA. The programme, held under the banner of a trust formed in the victim's name, will be attended by the victim's family and Chief Minister Adhikari.
Background: The RG Kar Case
On 9 August 2024, the rape and murder of a female doctor in the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata triggered nationwide outrage. Mass protests, night vigils, hunger strikes, and processions swept across the country as citizens from all walks of life demanded justice for the victim.
State police arrested Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police, shortly after the incident. The Calcutta High Court subsequently ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the probe. The trial concluded at Sealdah court, where the judge convicted Roy and sentenced him to life imprisonment. No additional arrests have been made to date.
Investigation Revived Under New CBI Team
Following the change of government in West Bengal, the CBI investigation was reactivated. The agency recently submitted a status report in Sealdah court, informing the bench that a new investigating officer had been assigned to the case. Sandipani Garg has replaced Seema Pahuja as the investigating officer, with CBI Joint Director Anurag Kumar heading the reconstituted probe team. The team has already visited the crime scene and the Panihati crematorium.
Two years after one of the most disturbing crimes to shake India's medical community, Sunday's silence marks a political and symbolic turning point — with accountability still a work in progress.
Point of View
With the victim's mother now a BJP MLA. Yet the more pressing question remains unanswered: why, two years on, has the CBI made no arrests beyond the one conviction already secured? A revived probe team visiting the crime scene is procedurally necessary but not sufficient. The silence on Sunday will last two minutes; the silence around broader accountability has lasted two years.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RG Kar rape and murder case?
On 9 August 2024, a female doctor was raped and murdered in the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, triggering nationwide protests. Civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sealdah court. The CBI took over the investigation on orders of the Calcutta High Court.
Why is the Bengal government observing silence on August 9?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered a two-minute silence at 11 am on 9 August 2025 across all government hospitals in West Bengal to mark the second anniversary of the RG Kar victim's death. It is the first formal government tribute to the victim, with a lamp-lighting ceremony preceding the silence.
Has anyone else been arrested in the RG Kar case?
No. Only Sanjay Roy has been arrested and convicted in connection with the crime. Despite the CBI taking over the investigation, no additional arrests have been made. The agency recently assigned a new investigating officer, Sandipani Garg, and CBI Joint Director Anurag Kumar now heads the probe team.
Who is the RG Kar victim's mother and what is her current role?
The victim's mother is currently a BJP MLA from the Panihati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas. A commemorative programme in memory of the victim will be held in Panihati on Sunday, attended by the family and CM Adhikari.
Why was no tribute organised earlier under the TMC government?
According to the current BJP administration, no government-organised programme was held in the victim's memory during the Trinamool Congress era, when the TMC was in power at the time of the incident and in the period that followed. The BJP government has cited this as a reason for the significance of Sunday's observance.
