The father of the RG Kar rape and murder victim broke down after casting his vote in West Bengal’s Panihati on Wednesday, as his wife contests the Assembly elections on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket in what the family describes as a fight for justice.
Voting for the second phase of the Assembly elections began earlier in the day across 142 constituencies spread over seven districts, including Kolkata, Nadia, East Burdwan, Hooghly, South and North 24 Parganas, and Howrah.
After voting, Sekharranjan Debnath became visibly emotional while speaking about the family’s decision to enter the political arena. His wife, Ratna Debnath, is contesting from the Panihati seat.
“It’s very sad that we have to resort to this method to get justice for our girl. But we will win and get justice for our daughter… We are with the public…,” he said, struggling to hold back tears.
#WATCH | Panihati, West Bengal | Sekharranjan Debnath, father of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim, gets emotional as he talks about going to cast his vote for the West Bengal Assembly Elections.
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2026
He says, "It's very sad that we have to resort to this method to… pic.twitter.com/cnPDUI37s8
Throughout her campaign, Ratna Debnath has centred her message on justice and women’s safety, repeatedly raising concerns stemming from the tragedy.
On Wednesday morning, she expressed confidence in the outcome, saying, “We will win, we will get justice. People will vote for us.”
The case dates back to August 9, 2024, when a 31-year-old resident doctor was raped and murdered inside Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Her body was discovered in a seminar room on the campus, sending shockwaves across the country.
A civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, 33, who was associated with the Kolkata Police, was arrested the following day as the prime suspect.
The incident triggered a 42-day strike by junior doctors across West Bengal, who demanded a thorough investigation and improved safety measures for medical professionals. Protests soon spread nationwide, drawing international attention.
Three days after the incident, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing concerns over the credibility of the Kolkata Police probe.
