Indian court sentences doctor to life in prison for rape and murder

A court in India has sentenced a young doctor to life imprisonment for rape and murder. This sparked outrage and protests nationwide.

The judge rejected the request for the death penalty, but hospital volunteer Sanjoy Roy spoke up. He was sentenced. By the end of the week, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Roy has maintained his innocence and is expected to appeal the verdict in the High Court.

The victim’s family, who said they wanted him hanged, said they were “shocked” by the verdict.

“We will continue our fight, and we will not allow the investigations to stop… Come on, we will fight for justice,” the woman’s father told Agence France-Presse.

Indian law prohibits the disclosure of the identities of victims of sexual violence and their family members.

The killing of the trainee doctor at the hospital where he was working in the eastern city of Kolkata last August sent shockwaves across the country.

The 31-year-old fell asleep in the seminar hall after the night shift at the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Her half-naked and badly mutilated body was later found near his partner’s platform.

The crime has sparked widespread protests and concerns over the safety of healthcare workers in India, particularly women.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint seen by the BBC, Roy went to the hospital in a drunken state and found the woman lying alone.

According to the autopsy report, the woman was strangled and struggled back with signs of trauma.

Roy was arrested a day after the crime and has consistently denied the allegations.

In Kolkata, doctors went on strike for weeks demanding action against accused and officials who were allegedly complicit in delaying or obstructing the investigation.