An Indian police volunteer was convicted on Saturday for the rape and murder of a junior doctor at a hospital in Kolkata, a crime that sparked national outrage over the lack of safety for women.
The woman’s body was found in a classroom at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Fellow doctors went on strike for weeks to demand justice and better security at public hospitals.
Defendant Sanjay Roy had claimed in November that he was “completely innocent” and was being framed. His lawyers argued that there were significant discrepancies in the investigation and forensic reports.
Judge Anirban Das said the sentence would be announced on Monday and could range from life imprisonment to the death penalty.
The victim’s parents expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, stating that the crime could not have been committed by one person.
India’s federal police, who investigated the case, described the crime as “rarest of rare” and sought the death penalty for Roy. Junior doctors continued to protest outside the court, vowing to not stop until justice is served.
The investigation included 128 witnesses, with 51 being examined during the trial, which was fast-tracked. Police also charged the local police officer and the hospital head at the time of the crime for tampering with evidence.
