Mother of Convicted Kolkata Rapist Speaks: I Have Three Daughters, I Understand Their Pain

Sambhunath Pandit Lane, near Sealdah, Kolkata:  Malati Roy, mother of Sanjoy Roy convicted in the R G Kar Hospital rape and murder case broke her silence after the court’s verdict. Sitting outside her home in Sambhunath Pandit Lane, just 6 km from Sealdah Court, she expressed her anguish and solidarity with the victim’s family.

“I have three daughters. I understand the pain of losing a child. If the court says to hang him, I will accept it,” said Malati. Her son, a former boxer turned civic volunteer, was arrested on August 10, the day after the horrific crime.

Sanjoy’s sister, Sabita, echoed the sentiment. “What my brother has done is unthinkable and horrific. If he is guilty, he deserves the ultimate punishment. The victim was a doctor and a woman like me.” Despite living only a minute away, Sabita and Malati did not visit Sanjoy during his trial.

Life for Roy’s family has been drastically altered since his arrest. “People in the neighborhood speak ill of us. I have stopped visiting the temple or stepping out,” said Sabita, a teacher’s wife. Even within her marital home, she faced backlash from her in-laws over her brother’s actions.

Sanjoy, once estranged from his late wife over allegations of domestic violence, lived with his mother before his arrest. Financially strained, Malati is now supported by Sanjoy's married sisters.

With his conviction, both the mother and sister acknowledge the weight of justice. “Even if it means the harshest punishment, we will accept it,” they said.