‘Victory of entire Bengal’: RG Kar victim’s mother Ratna Debnath after Panihati win

Debnath defeated her nearest rival Tirthankar Ghosh of the Trinamool Congress by 28,836 votes as the BJP ousted the Mamata Banerjee government in a landslide victory.

Victory Dedicated to People, PM Modi

Reacting to her win, Debnath told ANI, “This victory is the victory of the people of Panihati, of the entire Bengal. I dedicate this victory to Prime Minister Modi.

“I have been able to free the people from the misgovernance of the Ghosh family, for which I thank the people; I could not have done this alone. This victory has been achieved because of the people of Panihati.”

From Personal Tragedy to Political Victory

Debnath joined the BJP to be part of the system and ensure justice for her daughter, who was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar in 2024.

The incident sent shockwaves across the country, triggering months of protests and raising serious questions over the handling of the case by the TMC government.

Protests, Allegations and Public Outrage

Allegations of evidence tampering and initial lapses in the investigation intensified public anger, leading to widespread protests by doctors, medical students and civil society groups across Kolkata and other parts of the country.

Junior doctors went on strike, disrupting healthcare services in several government hospitals.

Probe, Conviction and Ongoing Legal Battle

Civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, the prime accused, was arrested soon after the incident. However, protesters alleged he was not the sole perpetrator and demanded a wider probe.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case following a court order, did not name any additional accused.

A Kolkata court later sentenced Roy to life imprisonment till death and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

Roy has challenged his conviction in the Calcutta High Court, claiming he was falsely implicated, while both the CBI and the West Bengal government have sought the death penalty.

Modi Promises Reopening of Cases

During the poll campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning to the TMC, saying all cases related to crimes against women would be reopened if the BJP came to power.

“Once the BJP forms the government, all files related to crimes against women will be reopened—I repeat, every single case will be reopened,” he said.