Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: Junior doctors from various government hospitals in West Bengal, along with citizens, took to the streets on Sunday, holding torch rallies across the state. The protests occurred a day before the crucial Supreme Court hearing on the rape and murder case of a woman trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Doctors Demand Justice and Security
The protesting medics, who had staged a 41-day cease-work protest over the incident, are calling for justice for the victim and demanding stronger security measures at hospitals. Demonstrations were held at multiple locations, including RG Kar Hospital, Sagore Dutta Hospital, SSKM Hospital, Calcutta Medical College, and Jadavpur in south Kolkata, according to PTI.
West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front Leads Rally
The torch rallies were organized by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, a group representing medics from several state medical colleges. The protests also underscored the need to address the “threat culture” in medical colleges, where students have reportedly faced intimidation and harassment.
Assault on Doctors Fuels Renewed Protests
The renewed protests were further fueled by an alleged attack on three doctors and three nurses at Sagore Dutta Hospital. Medics claimed that the incident highlighted the state government’s failure to fulfill its promises of improving security at hospitals.
Doctors Threaten to Resume Cease-Work
On Saturday, junior doctors warned that they would resume their total cease-work protest on Monday if the state government failed to present adequate measures to improve security during the Supreme Court hearing. “If the government does not take positive action to strengthen hospital security and infrastructure, we will go on a full strike from Monday,” a junior doctor declared.
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: A Timeline
The case centers around the brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital. On August 9, her body was discovered in a seminar room. The autopsy report confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted and sustained severe injuries.
The main accused, Sanjay Roy, was arrested the day after the crime based on CCTV footage showing him entering the building around the time of the incident. His Bluetooth headphones were also found near the crime scene. The case has since been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The horrific crime sparked nationwide protests, with demonstrators demanding swift justice for the victim.
