While India Protests, Perverts Search For Kolkata Rape Videos

On August 9, a 31-year-old trainee doctor’s body was found in the seminar hall of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy was arrested as the prime accused in the rape and murder case on August 10. Soon after, massive protests led by junior doctors took over the country, demanding justice for the victim and her family, along with immediate action to ensure the safety of the medical staff. Since then, a series of questions have been raised against the hospital administration, Kolkata police, and the state government for the several lapses in the horrifying case, which has now been handed to the CBI. The CBI stated that it could not present Roy in court for the polygraph test, which has now been postponed. Several suspects, including the former principle of RG Kar, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, are being questioned by the CBI.

Many were seen searching for Kolkata rape videos

As the streets of Kolkata and other Indian cities filled with people protesting the tragic rape and murder of trainee doctor in West Bengal, a darker trend unfolded online. Amid the public outrage, certain individuals, lakhs, as per rough estimates, flooded search engine Google with disturbing queries, looking for videos and photos depicting the doctor’s last moments. Search terms like “Dr. ——- ——– CCTV video”, “Dr —— —— rap video”, “——- —— video” and “Dr——– ——- viral photo” flooded the web, exposing the grotesque reality of human nature’s morbid curiosity and sick-perverted behaviour.

Searches showed many people were searching for photos and videos

According to Google Trends data, searches related to the Kolkata rape and associated events are in the ‘Breakout’ zone, indicating a significant surge in search volume. In Google Trends, a ‘Breakout’ signifies that a search term has seen a sudden and substantial spike in interest, typically over 5000% compared to previous data. In this case, searches are continuing to rise, meaning that for the past seven days, many sick and perverted minds have been searching for rape videos related to this incident.

A Quint report found that there were more than 3,000 searches with the victim’s name on one of the most visited porn sites in India, ‘xvideos.’ This is not an isolated case. Earlier, the Kathua case victims’ name also became trending tags on porn sites in the country, reflecting a disturbing trend among Indians.

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Many were searching for ‘rap’ videos and CCTV videos of the fighter

At one point, Timeline’s data team was puzzled by a particular search: “Dr. —– —– rap video.” However, it was later revealed to be a case of linguistic ignorance, where the term ‘rape’ was mistakenly written as ‘rap.’ This pattern of linguistic confusion is also prevalent in searches related to ‘caste’ in India, where many illiterate or linguistically ignorant users search for ‘cast’ instead of ‘caste.’ The same error occurred in searches related to the Kolkata case, where some were seen searching for “Kolkata Dr. —– —– cast.

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Many, meanwhile, wanted to know the caste of the fighter

Though some searches are genuinely for news reports in video format, in-depth research on rape-related searches reveals that most queries are driven by sick and perverted motives in pursuit of actual rape videos, including CCTV footage.

This behaviour, as per experts, is rooted in a twisted psychological phenomenon where people seek out graphic content related to traumatic incidents. “While these actions may seem perverse, they can often stem from a combination of anxiety, fear, and the desensitising effect of modern media. The desire to view such materials reflects an underlying fascination with death and violence, where viewers feel compelled to confront the horrifying to gain a sense of control or emotional detachment,” an expert told Timeline.

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“In some cases, people may turn to these searches out of genuine shock, attempting to make sense of the tragedy. However, many others fall into a deeper trap of sensationalism, treating such incidents as morbid entertainment. This behavior feeds into a cycle of objectification, stripping the victim of their humanity and reducing them to mere online content,” added the expert.

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Another expert said the consumption of violent or tragic imagery not only perpetuates trauma for the victims’ families but also reveals an alarming devaluation of human dignity. “As we continue to grapple with such cases, society must confront these darker impulses head-on and emphasise the importance of digital ethics and respect for the victims,” she added.