Doctors unveil memorial statue after brutal murder of RG Kar Medical College trainee
Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have unveiled a statue to honor the memory of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at the hospital on August 9. The sculpture, titled Cry of the Hour, was created by renowned artist Asit Sain and symbolizes the pain and trauma experienced by the victim. It has been placed near the PGB Gardens in front of the building housing the principal’s office, as reported by The Indian Express.
The fibreglass sculpture, a bust of a woman screaming, is inscribed with the words “Abhaya,” signifying the victim’s suffering from the "hellish brutality" she endured. Junior doctors involved in the project expressed that the installation serves as a constant reminder of their colleague and their fight for justice. “It is an emotional moment for us,” one junior doctor told The Indian Express. “She was our colleague. We have been fighting for her. She is in our heart, but this installation will ensure no one ever forgets her.”
Another junior doctor, speaking to PTI, added: "This statue is not of the victim, but a symbol of pain, torture she went through and the ongoing protests."
However, the statue has sparked controversy online, with many criticizing it for being disrespectful and insensitive. Social media users condemned the decision to create a statue representing a rape victim’s pain, with one X user questioning, "The doctors of this country are so tone deaf. Why would you ever create a statue like this based on a rape victim?" Others echoed similar sentiments, with one person calling the statue “so weird and disrespectful,” and another remarking, “Indian women can’t even be remembered with pride. It’s either perpetually be in pain or be forgotten.”
Amid this backlash, the junior doctors have remained steadfast in their efforts to seek justice. On Wednesday, thousands of them participated in a protest march organized by the Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, demanding action from the government. The march began at College Street and ended in the Esplanade area, further intensifying their ongoing call for improved safety measures for healthcare workers in the aftermath of the tragic incident.
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Agra: Teacher dies of heart attack after fraudsters' call regarding her daughter's 'sex scandal'
Agra, Oct 3: A government school teacher in Agra died due to cardiac arrest after she allegedly got a call from cyber fraudsters that her daughter was caught in a sex scandal, her family claimed on Thursday.
On September 30, the fraudsters allegedly threatened the teacher and demanded Rs one lakh to not disclose the matter, the family further said.
Talking to PTI, Deepanshu Rajput, the deceased's son said, "Mother Malti Verma (58) was a government teacher at a Junior High School in Achhnera in Agra. On September 30, she got a Whatsapp call at 12 pm in which they said that her daughter was caught in a sex scandal and began threatening her for the future consequences of revealing her daughter's identity."
The caller posed as police inspector, Rajput added.
"After that, she talked to me over phone and informed me about the call. But when I checked the phone number, I told my mother that it was a fraud call from cyber criminals," he added.
"After that I also talked to my sister and found everything normal. I asked my mother not to worry because she was a victim of cyber fraud, but she could not control her tension and her health deteriorated after that call," he added.
"As she returned home after school, she also complained of chest pain and anxiety. When her health began deteriorating, we took her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead due to cardiac arrest," he said.
Anandveer Singh, Jagdishpura police station in-charge, told PTI, "We have received a complaint in this case from the family. Action will be taken accordingly."
