KOLKATA – In a significant legislative development, the West Bengal Assembly has passed a law that authorizes life imprisonment or the death penalty for individuals convicted of rape. This decisive move comes in the wake of widespread protests ignited by the brutal sexual assault and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata.
The new law, which increases the punishment for rape from a minimum of 10 years to either life imprisonment or execution, was introduced in response to the public outrage following the horrific incident. The accused, Sanjay Roy, who worked as a volunteer with the police, was arrested shortly after the crime. The tragic event unfolded when the victim, a doctor on night duty, sought rest in a hospital’s lecture hall. At approximately 4 a.m., the accused allegedly assaulted and murdered her, prompting nationwide strikes by doctors and sparking large-scale protests.
The law was crafted in direct response to the demand for the harshest possible penalty for the accused. Although the law still awaits approval from the President, the state has the authority to implement it independently if necessary.
However, it is important to note that this new legislation is largely symbolic at this point, as India’s Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is uniformly enforced across the country. According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, an average of 90 rape cases were reported daily in 2022, with the actual number of incidents likely being much higher.
