Kolkata rape-murder: Disturbing search trends for victim’s ‘rape video’ and ‘rape porn’ flood internet

New Delhi, India

India recently witnessed a tragedy of monstrous proportions, as a doctor trainee was found brutally raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the hospital where she worked to save lives.

On August 9, the post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal.  

The 31-year-old medic was subjected to brutal torture before her death. Unfortunately, before the police reached the scene, pictures of her abused body were clicked and circulated.

Also read | What is the Aruna Shanbaug case that Chief justice of India cited during Kolkata horror case hearing?

Now, even as the citizens of the nation, including the medical staff, continue to hold rallies and candle marches protesting against the deplorable crime, the searches on the internet for the doctor's photos and even her rape video have gone up.

Disturbing search trend

As per a report by The Quint, disturbing search trends on Google include those for photos and videos of the victim. Other searches include those for her "rape porn".

Inspired by the report, we also conducted our own research into these trends, and the results are nothing short of disturbing.

While WION has resolutely skipped sharing the doctor's identity, her name was leaked on the internet. A search on Google trends revealed that the victim's name, followed by terms like "video", "rape video" are trending in India, especially over the last seven days.

Here's a screen grab of the trends. The name of the victim has been blurred to adhere to journalistic standards.

What's relevant about the last seven days?

In the last seven days, we have gotten to know the extent of the murdered doctor's pain and fear in her last moments.

A preliminary autopsy of her body had suggested that the trainee doctor was subjected to violent sexual assault. Now, the detailed autopsy of her body found that she was strangled to death. The results, which were shared with the media in the last seven days, revealed evidence of sexual assault and that the body carried 16 external and nine internal injury marks.

The post-mortem examination of the victim revealed that she was subjected to strangulation, smothering, and forceful penetration. 

Also read | Kolkata rape-murder: Victim's autopsy report reveals evidence of strangulation and forceful penetration

Furthermore, it found "medical evidence of forceful penetration/insertion in her genitalia — possibility of sexual assault."

External injuries include abrasions on the cheeks, lips, nose, neck, arms, and knees. Additionally, she had injuries in her private parts.

Meanwhile, internal injuries include those on the muscles of her neck, scalp, and other body parts.

"All injuries are ante-mortem (before death), showing evidence of vital reactions," stated the post-mortem report signed by a team of doctors comprising Apurba Biswas, professor, department of forensic medicine and toxicology, R G Kar Medical College; Rina Das, associate professor, department of forensic medicine and toxicology, R G Kar Medical College; and Molly Banerjee, assistant professor, department of forensic medicine, NRS Medical College and Hospital.

CJI slams media for sharing the victim's identity

According to Section 72 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, anyone who prints or publishes the name or any information that could reveal the identity of a victim of offences like rape or sexual assault, could be punished with imprisonment for up to two years.

Despite this, the identity of the Kolkata rape-murder victim was shared widely. On Tuesday (August 20), during a hearing of the Supreme Court's suo moto action into the rape case probe, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud flagged that the RG Kar hospital victim's identity was shared rampantly across India.

"The pictures and video clips of the body of the deceased have been circulating on social media," noted the CJI.

"This is extremely concerning. We are first to recognise free speech but there are well-settled parameters. There are judgments of the court like in Nipun Saxena (case) that names of survivors of sexual assault will not be published," said the top court.

(With inputs from agencies)