International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) headquartered in London has written to the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, who also heads the state health department, demanding justice in the incident of rape and murder of the 31-year-old post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor at the state-run R G Kar Medical College Hospital.
Prof Anne-Beatrice Kihara, FIGO president, in a letter written to Miss Banerjee on 16 August, condemning the incident, stated, “I hope that the authorities will leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this horrific crime to justice, and that the Medical College will take every possible measure to support the family of the student and ensure safeguarding legislature, policy and guidelines are in place for all students on-and off-campus.”
“It is unimaginable that such an atrocity could occur, and my heart goes out to the family of the raped and killed victim during this unimaginably painful time. Words cannot adequately convey the depth of sorrow and empathy I feel for them, and I pray they find the strength and support needed to navigate this devastating loss,” according to the FIGO president’s letter.
“As a community, we must come together in this time of grief, not only to mourn the loss, but also to reaffirm our commitment to fight against violence to girls/women and the misogyny that continues to plague our society. No one should have to endure what the student has experienced, and it is incumbent upon all of us to work towards a world where such tragedies are unthinkable,” the letter stated.
FIGO’s communication wing has confirmed about the letter through an email message sent to The Statesman.