Indian doctors have called for a nationwide shutdown of outpatient departments (OPD) in hospitals, staging protests on Tuesday, August 13th, following the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The victim’s body was discovered by police in a seminar hall at R.G. Kar Medical College on Friday, August 9th, after she was assaulted and murdered the previous night, according to local reports.
The deceased was a student in the Department of Medicine at R.G. Kar Medical College. After completing her duty on Thursday, she went out for dinner with friends and was not heard from afterward. Her semi-nude body was found in a seminar hall on the fourth floor of the college. The victim’s mobile phone and laptop were recovered from the scene. The postmortem report revealed injuries to her mouth, eyes, private parts, as well as bruises on her lips, neck, abdomen, and other parts of her body.
Protests Across India
Doctors across several states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, participated in the protests, demanding justice for the victim and improved safety measures in hospitals.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, junior doctors at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) began a strike at around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, causing significant difficulties for patients. The doctors halted work in OPDs and did not attend to patients admitted to the wards. In response, the KGMU administration immediately assigned senior doctors to cover the duties.
Doctors at Nair Hospital in Mumbai also initiated a protest, shouting slogans such as “No safety, no duty” and “Fulfill our demands.” In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) announced their intention to go on strike, ensuring that only emergency services would be available.
In Kolkata, doctors at a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar joined the protests, with a large number of doctors participating in the demonstration. Members of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) made it clear that such atrocities would no longer be tolerated and vowed to continue their strike until their demands were met. They announced that all services except emergency ones would remain suspended.
Demands and Government Response
The protesting doctors are demanding the arrest of those responsible for the rape and murder of the female trainee doctor. They are also calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case to ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation. Demonstrators were seen marching, chanting slogans, and holding sit-in protests outside university hospitals.
West Bengal State Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday, August 12th, that the principal of R.G. Kar Medical College had resigned in light of the incident. She set a deadline of Sunday, August 18th, for the police to arrest the suspect, promising to hand over the case to the CBI if the suspect was not apprehended by then.
Impact on Healthcare Services
While emergency services continued to operate, the protests significantly impacted outpatient traffic in several hospitals. Hundreds of doctors in cities like New Delhi, Patna, and Lucknow participated in rallies, expressing their outrage and frustration. The ongoing strike and suspension of services have caused considerable difficulties for patients, with many being unable to access routine medical care.
The nationwide protests by doctors highlight the urgent need for improved safety measures in hospitals and the demand for justice in the wake of the horrific crime. The medical community’s unified stand against such violence underscores the importance of creating a safe and secure environment for healthcare professionals across the country.
