Kolkata: Two years after the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital shocked the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a fresh investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the cremation of the young doctor’s body.
The announcement was made on Sunday, August 9, 2026, on the second anniversary of the incident. The victim’s parents were present at a memorial programme in Panihati, where the Chief Minister announced that the state would separately investigate allegations concerning the handling and cremation of the body.
Fresh Probe Into Cremation
According to Adhikari, the fresh investigation will focus specifically on alleged procedural violations at the Panihati cremation ground, where the doctor was cremated after her post-mortem examination in August 2024.
The Chief Minister said the main rape-and-murder case and alleged financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College remain under the court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation. He said the state government has limited scope to interfere in those matters but can investigate the separate allegations concerning the cremation.
The investigation will be conducted under the Special Commission Act, with the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the cremation.
Questions Over Cremation Procedures
Adhikari alleged that several aspects of the cremation records require investigation.
He claimed that the body was listed at serial number three, but was cremated at serial number one. He also alleged that documents associated with the cremation did not carry the signatures of the victim’s family members or nearest relatives.
The Chief Minister said investigators would examine the roles of Nirmal Ghosh, Somnath Das and Sanjib Mukherjee, who he named while announcing the probe. Ghosh is a former Trinamool Congress MLA from Panihati, while the other two have been identified as TMC leaders.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the fresh investigation is expected to determine whether any laws or prescribed procedures were violated.
Main R.G. Kar Case Still Under CBI
The fresh state probe does not replace the investigation into the rape and murder itself.
The CBI continues to handle the main case under court supervision. The 2024 incident triggered massive protests across West Bengal and other parts of the country, with junior doctors and citizens demanding justice and accountability.
The victim’s family has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the investigation and has raised questions over whether all those responsible have been identified.
Adhikari said the state government would cooperate with the CBI and take action wherever its own investigations identify wrongdoing.
Victim’s Parents Seek Justice
The victim’s parents attended the Panihati programme on Sunday.
Her mother thanked the present government for taking steps that could help establish accountability. She also said she wanted her daughter to be remembered as a doctor rather than only as a victim of a horrific crime.
The victim’s father said he was hopeful that the change in government and the fresh investigative efforts would help move the case towards justice.
The family has previously alleged that the investigation was incomplete and that more people could have been involved in the crime.
Political and Legal Questions
The fresh cremation probe is likely to generate renewed political debate in West Bengal, particularly because the allegations involve individuals associated with the previous political establishment.
The government, however, will need to establish the allegations through evidence and due process. Being named in connection with an investigation does not itself establish criminal responsibility.
The investigation will now focus on what happened between the completion of the post-mortem and the cremation of the doctor’s body, including who was present, what procedures were followed and whether official records accurately reflected what took place.
Two Years On, Questions Remain
The R.G. Kar case continues to remain one of the most closely watched criminal cases in West Bengal.
While the central investigation into the rape and murder proceeds separately, the state government’s decision to reopen questions surrounding the cremation has brought another aspect of the 2024 tragedy back into focus.
The findings of the fresh probe could determine whether further criminal or departmental action is warranted and potentially provide answers to questions that the victim’s family has continued to raise for two years.
