Kolkata RG Kar Rape Case : Low Media TRP Made The Country Forget the Issue

An incident that made the nation tremble was the rape and killing of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024.

Although, in such brutal crimes like rape and murder, the attention to it by way of mass protests straightaway jumps into national repute, the very case gradually faded away from the pages of headlines.

Many feel that this was due to low TRPs, along with the changing focus of national media houses, which explained why the case was largely forgotten by the public after the initial furore.

The Incident: A Sorrowful Night at R.G. Kar Medical College

Mysterious death of a young postgraduate doctor in the seminar room of the hospital on the morning of August 10.

Apparently, the victim had decided to spend the night in the seminar room having dinner with her colleagues because she did not have a rest space. But what eventually followed was the seminude body of the victim exposing sexual assault.

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Her death was initially reported as a suicide by some hospital officials, an assertion later debunked by her family and the police.

It all came to a rolling nightmare for the administration of this hospital, as criticism cut deep into how this investigation was handled.

Allegations flashed before people regarding the carelessness of the management regarding the staff and the presence of an insider, Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who had close relations with senior officials, behind it all.

The National Outrage and Protests

In the aftermath of the killing, protests flared throughout India, organized by doctors and medical students and civil society groups.

The murder added a rocket fuel to the raging discourse on the safety of women medical professionals in Indian hospitals. Junior doctors went on strike, and large protests took place in Kolkata and other cities with cries for justice.

Despite these protests, the media’s attention to the case gradually declined after two or three weeks. A considerable share of public attention was transferred to other incidents as they happen in the whirlwind of news cycles.

The “safety of hospitals,” which were found on the headlines early, faded out quickly because of new events and many came to think that justice was being delayed or even bypassed​.

Low media TRP and the disappearing public interest

Media plays a vital role in giving such incidents a lot of limelight. In the case of the RG Kar tragedy, one saw high TRPs during the initial days where most of the media houses shifted focus to more sensational or politically charged issues.

This is usual in the arena of media; new scandals, political news, and celebrities’ activities have always outdone social justice issues​.

The shift in coverage is particularly damaging when sensitive issues such as rape and murder are concerned, where public pressure can become the decisive factor to ensure swift justice.

The more attention received by the case, the greater the chances of the authorities being coerced into action. However, once the media loses interest, the urgency for action fades, and the public forgets, thereby letting the case be sidelined.

In addition, it has been argued that the case did not receive the consistent publicity it deserved because no political or celebrity involvement was present.

Issues related to the medical community or the safety of women, although important issues, sometimes fail to attract the same kind of media hype as other matters as other subjects involving political figures.

This usually results in marginalization of such cases that may lead to a failure to gain momentum towards the agenda for justice.

The Role of the Supreme Court and CBI Investigation

This case acquired a new dimension as the Supreme Court of India took suo moto cognizance of the case. The court set up a task force to investigate the safety of medical professionals and directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an expedited investigation.

Even though CBI arrested major accused people, including Sanjoy Roy, it has been greatly criticized for poor proof gathering and politicization​.

Under immense pressure, the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of West Bengal made assurances to do everything in order to strengthen security measures in hospitals.

Yet, the protests persisted, with the doctors and medical staff demanding systemic changes in the hospital security and the legal and judicial policy framework affecting the safety of healthcare professionals​.

The Lingering Questions

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the case is the feeling of denial that persists both within the family circle of the victim and the entire medical profession.

As the initial public outcry continued, the lack of media scrutiny eventually made the issues disappear from the general public discourse, with unrelenting protests and court cases ongoing. The jury is still out on this one: Will it be let to fade into oblivion, or will the masses and media regain their call for justice?

The case of the rape at RG Kar thus points out the illusory nature of media coverage in a TRP driven world, where what began as a national tragedy was transformed into the whim of news outlets.

With the unfolding case, it is very imperative that the press, the citizens, and the government keep the torch light burning on this crucial case so that justice does not get lost behind the murkiness that heralds so many other cases.

This is a case that calls for sustained public interest and media vigilance so such heinous crimes do not fade into oblivion, regardless of how low the TRPs go.