• Source:JND
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Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder:  Amid the nationwide outrage over the Kolkata rape-murder, doctors continued their protests across the country, with candle marches and demonstrations witnessed on Sunday. Even though the strike called by the Indian Medical Association ended early Sunday, thousands of doctors remained away from joining the non-essential services, demanding swift justice for their colleagues and concrete action on IMA demands for medical professionals, Reuters reported.

While the central government has urged doctors to return to their duties in the wake of rising cases of dengue and malaria, it set up a committee to suggest measures to protect the healthcare professionals at the workplace.

IMA Warns 'May Halt Emergency Services, If Inaction Continues'

The Indian Medical Association, the largest doctors' body in the country spearheading the protests, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to intervene and pay heed to the demands of health care professionals. The association raised five key demands, including a Central Protection Act to provide airport-like security to the doctors.

Speaking to Reuters, the chief of the UP chapter of IMA, Dr Madan Mohan Paliwal said that although most of the doctors are back and joined their duties, further courses of action will be taken if the government fails to pay heed to their demands.

"The next course of action will be decided if the government does not take any strict steps to protect doctors... and this time we could stop emergency services too," Dr Mohan said as quoted by Reuters.

Mamata Govt's Crackdown On Social Media Users

Facing online and offline criticism for its failure in handling the rape-murder case and its investigation, West Bengal police issued notices to over 50 people in connection to their social media posts on the case. Among the individuals, which were slapped notices are a key BJP leader and two prominent doctors.

Two doctors - Kunal Sarkar and Suvarna Goswami - were summoned for allegedly providing false information. A former BJP MP Locket Chatterjee has been summoned for revealing the identity of the victim on social media, Dainik Jagran reported.