RG Kar case: Arrested ex-Panihati chief Somnath Dey pelted with eggs, stones outside court
Synopsis
The last of three accused in the alleged hurried cremation conspiracy tied to the RG Kar rape and murder case is now in custody — and his return to Kolkata was met with eggs and stones from an enraged public. With all three conspirators now before the courts, investigators are closing in on the full story of what happened to the victim's body in the hours after her death.
Key Takeaways
Somnath Dey , ex-chief of Panihati Municipality , was arrested in Bengaluru on Thursday in connection with the RG Kar hurried cremation conspiracy.
Locals pelted him with eggs and stones outside Khardah Police Station ; a couple of police personnel sustained minor injuries shielding him.
Dey was produced before Barrackpore Court on Friday; police have sought his custody for interrogation.
Co-accused Nirmal Ghosh (former TMC legislator) and Sanjeev Mukherjee are already in judicial custody.
The fresh probe was ordered by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 8 August 2025 , on the second death anniversary of the victim.
The victim's body was recovered from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9 August 2024 ; the alleged hasty cremation is said to have been aimed at preventing a second post-mortem.
Somnath Dey, the former chief of Panihati Municipality in North 24 Parganas and the third co-accused in the alleged hurried cremation conspiracy linked to the RG Kar rape and murder case, faced a hostile crowd on Friday, 5 September 2024 when locals pelted eggs and stones at him as he was escorted from Khardah Police Station to the Barrackpore Court. Dey had been arrested in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on Thursday, and was brought back to Kolkata on transit remand.
The Arrest and Transit to Kolkata
Dey, who had been absconding since the West Bengal Police identified him as one of three principal conspirators in the hurried cremation case, was finally apprehended in Bengaluru on Thursday morning. Authorities subsequently brought him back to Kolkata, landing at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport before being taken to Khardah Police Station under the Barrackpore Police Commissariat.
News of his arrival spread quickly, and agitated local residents gathered in front of the police station. As police escorted Dey out, the crowd began hurling eggs and stones. Escorting personnel reportedly handed Dey a helmet to protect his head. It is not yet clear whether Dey sustained any injuries; however, a couple of police personnel received minor injuries while shielding him.
Produced Before Barrackpore Court
Dey was subsequently produced before the Barrackpore Court on Friday. Police have filed an application seeking his custody for further interrogation, citing his alleged role in supervising the hurried cremation of the victim's body — a move that investigators believe was intended to prevent a second post-mortem examination.
The Hurried Cremation Conspiracy: Background
The body of a woman doctor from the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was recovered from a seminar hall within the hospital premises on the morning of 9 August 2024. She had allegedly been brutally raped and murdered the previous night. Shortly after, allegations surfaced that her body was rushed to a crematorium at Panihati and cremated in haste, in alleged breach of established cremation protocols.
Investigators allege the entire cremation process was supervised by Dey, former Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Panihati Nirmal Ghosh, and Sanjeev Mukherjee, a neighbour of the victim's family. A fresh First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Khardah Police Station following a complaint filed by the victim's father, naming all three.
Co-Accused Already in Judicial Custody
Of the three named conspirators, Ghosh was the first to be arrested — from neighbouring Odisha last month. Mukherjee was subsequently arrested from a residence in Chinar Park, Kolkata. Both are currently in judicial custody. Dey had remained at large until his arrest in Bengaluru.
The fresh probe was announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 8 August 2025 at a programme marking the second death anniversary of the victim, when he directed the Barrackpore Police Commissariat to reinvestigate the cremation angle.
What Happens Next
With all three accused now in custody, investigators are expected to pursue custodial interrogation of Dey to establish the full chain of events surrounding the cremation. The case continues to draw significant public attention, reflecting the deep outrage that has surrounded the RG Kar incident since it first came to light in August 2024.
Point of View
A sitting legislator, and a private citizen allegedly coordinated the cremation of a rape-murder victim's body to forestall a second post-mortem is an extraordinary allegation — and the fact that all three remained at large for months after being named in an FIR raises uncomfortable questions about the pace of the initial investigation. The fresh probe, announced only on the second death anniversary of the victim, suggests political pressure, not procedural urgency, drove the renewed action. Whether custodial interrogation of Dey will finally surface the full chain of command remains the critical question.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Somnath Dey and why was he arrested?
Somnath Dey is the former chief of Panihati Municipality in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. He was arrested in Bengaluru on Thursday as the third co-accused in the alleged conspiracy to hurriedly cremate the body of the RG Kar rape and murder victim in August 2024, a move investigators believe was intended to prevent a second post-mortem examination.
What happened when Somnath Dey was brought to Khardah Police Station?
Agitated local residents gathered outside Khardah Police Station on news of his arrival and pelted him with eggs and stones as police escorted him out. Escorting officers handed him a helmet to protect his head. It remains unclear whether Dey was injured; however, a couple of police personnel sustained minor injuries while shielding him.
Who are the other accused in the RG Kar hurried cremation case?
The two other co-accused are Nirmal Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Panihati, and Sanjeev Mukherjee, a neighbour of the victim's family. Ghosh was arrested from Odisha and Mukherjee from Chinar Park in Kolkata; both are currently in judicial custody.
Why is the hurried cremation being investigated separately?
Investigators allege the victim's body was rushed to a crematorium at Panihati and cremated in breach of established protocols, allegedly to eliminate the possibility of a second post-mortem that could have yielded additional forensic evidence. A fresh FIR was registered at Khardah Police Station based on a complaint filed by the victim's father.
What is the current status of the RG Kar rape and murder case?
The victim, a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, was found dead on 9 August 2024 and was subsequently found to have been raped and murdered the previous night. With all three accused in the cremation conspiracy now in custody, police are pursuing custodial interrogation of Somnath Dey. The broader case continues before the courts.
