West Bengal to observe 2-min silence for 'Abhaya' on death anniv

West Bengal's Health Department has ordered a two-minute silence on Aug 9 to mark the second anniversary of the rape and murder of 'Abhaya,' a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The case is currently under a CBI SIT investigation.

The West Bengal Health and Family Welfare Department has directed all establishments under its control to observe two minutes of silence on Sunday in memory of "Abhaya," marking two years since the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

According to a notice issued by the department on August 8, all establishments under the Health and Family Welfare Department will observe two minutes of silence from 11:00 am to 11:02 am on August 9. "I am directed to request all the establishments under the control of Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal shall observe 2 (two) minutes' silence in memory of 'Abhaya', from 11.00 AM till 11.02 AM on 09/08/2026," the notice read.

Background of the RG Kar Case

The RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case dates back to August 9, 2024, when the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found inside a seminar room on the hospital campus. The incident triggered nationwide protests by doctors, medical students and civil society groups, who demanded a transparent investigation into the case and stronger safety measures for healthcare professionals. The victim came to be referred to as "Abhaya" during the protests and subsequent proceedings.

Last year, in 2025, the students and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders held a 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan' protest march, demanding justice for the victim.

Legal Proceedings and CBI Probe

Meanwhile on May 21, the Calcutta High Court directed an investigation into the alleged destruction of evidence and to revisit the issue raised by the family of the victim regarding the RG Kar incident. In an order issued today, a bench comprising Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh stated that a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by the Joint Director (Eastern Zone) of the CBI, shall conduct this investigation.

The CBI has been directed to re-investigate the sequence of events that transpired from the time dinner was consumed on the night of the incident until the cremation took place the following day. To this end, the CBI is authorised to interrogate anyone it deems necessary.

On November 29, 2025, the CBI filed a chargesheet concerning financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The chargesheet named Sandip Ghosh and others, including Dr. Ashish Kumar Pandey, Biplab Singha, Suman Hazra, and Afsar Ali Khan, for their involvement in financial misconduct. This investigation was initiated following an order by the Calcutta High Court. (ANI)

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