The rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9th August has sparked off nationwide protests demanding a fair investigation into the incident and better security in hospitals. Doctors across the country have refused to resume work, except for emergency procedures, as they condemn the brutal rape and murder case.
The chest medicine department student, who was on duty on Thursday night at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was sexually assaulted before being murdered inside the hospital’s seminar hall, her post-mortem report has revealed.
Protests and candlelight marches by students, doctors, citizens and members of opposition parties are going on in front of the hospital and adjacent areas. Doctors at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College have announced a strike, demanding proper investigation and justice and enhanced security measures on the campus. The protesting doctors said in a statement, “All the interns, house surgeons, and resident doctors of RG Kar have decided to go for a complete cease-work until their demands are met.”
Seeking an official clarification on the status of the investigation and details of the arrested man, the protesting doctors have demanded that the trial be carried out in a fast-track court and the culprit should be given exemplary punishment for the heinous crime at the earliest.
The protesters are also demanding that security measures on the hospital premises should be enhanced by having a higher number of police personnel inside the campus, increasing CCTV cameras with round-the-clock real-time monitoring and restricted entry into areas like doctors’ rooms and seminar halls where nobody without proper uniform and identity card should be allowed.
Protests across India demanding justice
Doctors across India are staging protests demanding justice in Kolkata’s brutal rape and murder case. The ongoing protests have severely affected healthcare services such as outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries in many government hospitals. Everywhere the scene is similar where there are long queues outside OPDs in government hospitals and surgeries are being rescheduled as junior doctors refuse to work.
PTI Photo
FORDA’s demands
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) has stated that the strike will continue until justice is served and their demands are met. These include immediate action on the concerns of residents at RG Kar Medical College, protection against police brutality, respectful treatment of protesting doctors, and justice for the victim’s family.
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also called for a nationwide shutdown of OPD services starting August 13.
Lucknow
Resident doctors at medical institutes across Uttar Pradesh staged a protest demanding speedy justice in the rape-murder case. Resident doctors have started a protest march at King George’s Medical University at Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow with placards in their hands. The protesting doctors have stopped work at outdoor patients’ department (OPD) and elective surgery leaving patients and their families in a helpless condition.
Doctors at Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute and Hospital (KSSSCIH) tied black badges on their wrists while the doctors of Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences are also demanding a speedy probe into the matter. Dr Ritika Ranjan, the president of the resident doctors’ association at KSSSCIH said, “We demand a CBI probe into the case and the implementation of robust security for staff across medical institutes.”
Agra
Doctors also staged protests at Jhansi’s Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, UP University of Medical Sciences in Saifai and SN Medical College of Agra.
Delhi
Doctors in Delhi are staging protests against the incident demanding a CBI probe into the matter and enhanced safety of women doctors in hospitals.The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which normally handles around 10,000 OPD patients daily, has seen a 20 percent drop in registrations as doctors there took part in the ongoing protests.
Bengaluru
The Karnataka State Chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded a speedy and impartial investigation into the case, and exemplary punishment for the accused. However, as per reports, it is likely that there are more than once accused in this case who have not yet been nabbed.
“We demand that the authorities act with precision and in a time of 48 hours, failing which the IMA will be constrained to initiate nationwide action. An ultimatum of two days is given to arrest the culprits, failing which the IMA will hold nationwide protests,” IMA state president Prof Dr S Srinivas said in a statement on Monday.
Resident doctors from NIMHANS also joined the indefinite protest at the institute’s campus on Monday, demanding justice for the victim. Posters have been issued by the Association of Physicians of India which has urged doctors to wear black badges in solidarity and to display the message in their clinics.
Jaipur
Doctors and medical students of Sawai Man Singh Medical College have started protesting against the brutal incident.
Patna
While Junior doctors across West Bengal continued with ceasework on Tuesday, Patna medical students are protesting in OPD over Kolkata doctor’s death and rape case.
Bengal CM’s deadline to Kolkata Police
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday visited the residence of the victim and stating that it feels like a personal loss to her, the CM has said that she will hand over the case to CBI if Kolkata Police fails to crack case by August 18. The CM has also lent support to the ongoing protests by junior doctors and assured that the case would be handled by a fast-track court. She has also said that the accused would be hanged if needed.
Protesting doctors react
However, the agitating junior doctors on Tuesday set a deadline of August 14 for the Kolkata Police to complete their investigation. “Why do they need a deadline till Sunday? We are asking the police to complete their investigation by Wednesday. The ceasework and protest will continue till our demands are met. We have been very clear about our demands. We want a judicial probe into the incident,” a protesting junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital said.
Medical College Principal resigns, reappointed by state Govt
Citing defamation on social media, R G Kar Medical College and Hospital’s Principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh resigned on Monday morning, but the West Bengal Government appointed him as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH), triggering further outrage from junior doctors, interns and house staffers.
Calcutta High Court slams state Govt
The Calcutta High Court has slammed West Bengal Government for ‘protecting’ the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Principal Dr Sandip Ghosh. The Chief Justice has questioned the appointment of the principal, who had resigned taking moral responsibility as the head of another government college. The Chief Justice instructed him to submit a leave application by 3 p.m. today or face a court order mandating his removal from the position.
