The verdict was not entirely unexpected. The verdict is truly welcome and helps keep faith in the judicial process. The time spent in investigation was frustrating to many including those seeking justice for "Abhaya" as the deceased was dubbed. The judicial system must be seen to be unrelenting in rape and murder cases not only to reassure society. It has also to act as a deterrent to future heinous acts.

Police and hospital authorities came in for criticism from the court for their flaws in the handling of the grave crime. In many ways, these flaws were inexplicable. The information initially given to the family that the doctor pursuing post graduate studies had committed suicide. The delay in informing the police has no explanation.

These and many other questions were raised by the parents of the dead doctor. Their grief was shared by huge crowds who took to the streets but refused to be used as campaign fodder by different Opposition parties.

People's protest against the crime shook the conscience of masses within the state and far beyond it. As the shadows lengthened and the lights were switched, large groups of men and women sometimes tagging their children along sat in the different street crossings of Kolkata. Slogans were raised demanding justice for the dead doctor, the only child of her parents. Sometimes, the Trinamool Congress government was targeted by the protestors.

A large section of junior doctors stayed away from work in protest thereby almost paralysing the state's healthcare system. Matters came to such a pass that chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited a protest spot.

Later the junior doctors were called to her residence and Nabanna, the state secretariat. Things normalised after lengthy discussions and the junior doctors unity made a popular chief minister order the transfer of some of the key officials including the city police chief, Vineet Goel.

The protestors made no secret of their suspicions of the state government's role in supposedly protecting persons whom they believed to have either participated in the crime or tried to cover up the truth. Questions were raised about the police's role as well as the CBI investigation.

The body of the deceased doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. Delivering the judgement, Judge Das told Roy "you entered RG Kar and attacked the doctor and she died and (you) also sexually assaulted her."

Hearing the order, Roy shouted within the court that he has been framed and that he had followed the instructions of some IPS officers. The judge said that he would hear Sanjay's statement on January 20.

There was no mention in today's order of the unprecedented popular movement. It does not matter how fragmented it may have become later. It raised questions about the administration especially the police and health care system. The verdict cannot be stated to be affected by popular pressure for a death sentence.

Forensic evidence did not support the popular belief if multiple participants in the crime. One cannot overlook the fact that the CBI failed to submit charge sheet against former RG Kar principal Sandeep Ghosh and Tala police station officer in charge, Abhijit Mondal.

The verdict underscored that there is need to prevent such crimes from taking place at all. The Aparajita Women and Child's Bill passed by the West Bengal government after the death of the doctor also focuses on stringent penalties and accelerated judicial process.

The systemic roots of violence against women run deep. As long as it is not uprooted no penalty however stringent and no protest however strong and widespread will make the women feel safer in their place of work. (IPA Service)