• Source:JND
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Kolkata Doctor Murder Case: Doctors and medical professionals across India are voicing their outrage following the rape and murder of a resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. On Friday, protests intensified as junior doctors in various cities united to demand justice and increased safety measures for medical staff.

Amritsar Doctors Protest

In Amritsar, junior doctors and postgraduate students at government medical colleges took to the streets, holding protests to express their anger over the tragic incident. The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College announced the suspension of all non-essential and elective services, including outpatient departments and surgeries, from August 16. They set a 48-hour deadline for authorities to take action against those responsible for the crime.

Kolkata Doctors Protest

Protests in Kolkata turned confrontational as demonstrators from the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) clashed with police during a 12-hour strike. The protestors were demanding justice for the deceased doctor and greater security for medical professionals. Many supporters were detained, highlighting the tensions surrounding the issue.

Bhopal Doctors Protest

Similar demonstrations occurred in Bhopal, where medical students and doctors at Gandhi Medical College rallied for the victim, expressing fears for their own safety. Dr Samiksha Bedi from the college articulated the anxiety felt by medical students," We all are scared after this incident. The situation here is not that bad as the hospital has been renovated. We have duty rooms where we can rest. However, the guards should be there on every floor... Earlier, we were unsafe sometimes due to aggressive people."

Thiruvananthapuram Doctors Protest

In Thiruvananthapuram, resident doctors at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences protested against the violence faced by their colleague in Kolkata. The healthcare community across Kerala united to call for justice, with junior doctors boycotting duties on Friday to highlight their demands.

Delhi Doctors Protest

Delhi joined the movement as junior doctors and medical students at RML Hospital staged a protest, echoing the sentiments of their colleagues in Kolkata. Dr Akash from RML urged fellow doctors and the public to converge at Nirman Bhawan to peacefully present their demands to the government, "I appeal to all doctors and common people to reach Nirman Bhawan in large numbers so that we can peacefully put forward our issues in front of the government and seek justice for our colleague from Bengal who lost her life to this barbaric and gruesome act."

Hyderabad Doctors Protest

In Hyderabad, junior doctors and medical staff staged protest at Gandhi Hospital staged protest, with Dr Priyanka expressing their fears, "Our friends and colleagues in Bengal are spending sleepless nights because they are scared and even they don't know what going to happen next... Our fight will not end soon, it will continue and we will escalate it if needed..."

Jammu And Kasmir Doctors Protest

In Jammu and Kashmir, doctors at Government Medical College in Udhampur held protests, demanding justice for the victim from Kolkata. An intern highlighted that the safety of female doctors in India remains a pressing issue, stating that they would not return to work until adequate security measures were put in place.

Assam Doctors Protest

Gauhati Medical College and Hospital in Assam also participated in the nationwide demonstrations, with junior doctors rallying in solidarity against the violence faced by healthcare workers.

Andhra Pradesh Doctors Protest

Andhra Pradesh saw junior doctors and medical students at AIIMS Mangalagiri engage in protests, which included a street play to raise awareness about the issue.

Mumbai Doctors Protest

In Mumbai, junior doctors protested at Nair Hospital, aligning with the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), which organised a demonstration at Azad Maidan. Following a holiday, only emergency services were available at medical facilities, with striking residents assisting in critical care, while non-urgent duties were handled by medical educators.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services for 24 hours, beginning at 6 am on August 17. This decision was made in response to the troubling events in Kolkata, including the violence faced by protesting students. Essential services, such as casualty wards, will remain operational during this period.

The IMA’s statement underscored the vulnerability of doctors, particularly women, to violence within the profession. The organisation called on authorities to prioritise the safety of healthcare workers and respond to the urgent need for protective measures.