Kolkata rape-murder LIVE: CBI to conduct polygraph test on RG Kar ex-principal, 4 others

In a major relief for patients, hundreds of resident doctors here returned to work on Friday after ending their 11-day strike over the alleged rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata, following an appeal by the Supreme Court.

Healthcare professionals across the country ceased work after the body of the medic, a junior doctor, was found in a seminar room of the West Bengal government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

Non-emergency services, including OPD and diagnostics, were shut as medics, including resident doctors, of major central and Delhi government-run hospitals struck work on August 12 evening, causing hardships for patients and delay in treatment. Residest doctors, including those of Centre-run AIIMS, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Delhi government-run LNJP, Maulana azad Medical College, GTB Hospital and Indira Gandhi Hospital, resumed duties after two national bodies announced the end of the strike on Thursday evening. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) took the decision after the Supreme Court issued directions about the safety of healthcare personnel.

Healthcare services were severely hit at state-run hospitals in West Bengal on Friday as junior doctors continued their ceasework for the 15th consecutive day to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) here.

They decided to continue the stir despite the Supreme Court's appeal to them to resume work. "Our protest will continue till we see the culprits punished. We are not here for anything else. We cannot call off the demonstration suddenly unless our demand is fulfilled," an agitating doctor at the RGKMCH told PTI.

The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its appeal to the doctors protesting over the rape and killing of the medic to resume work and directed that no coercive action would be taken against them. The court said judges and doctors cannot strike since they deal with matters involving life and liberty.

The flow of patients at the different government hospitals seemed to dry up as the ceasework by junior doctors continued. "For the last couple of days, the number of patients has decreased even though our senior doctors are attending outpatient departments (OPDs) and emergency units. This is because people are aware of the agitation of junior medics," a senior doctor of the SSKM Hospital said.

Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a probe into the alleged rape and murder of the woman doctor in the state-run hospital.

Apart from demanding justice for the woman medic, the junior doctors have been pressing for the removal of several officials in the RGKMCH's administration.

The state government had transferred three officials of the RGKMCH and cancelled the posting of the hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CNMC). State health secretary NS Nigam, while announcing the decision, urged the doctors to resume work as it was affecting the healthcare services badly.

Resident doctors in Maharashtra withdrew their agitation on Thursday following the state government's assurances to take measures for their security, 10 days after they struck work demanding better workplace conditions in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a trainee medico in Kolkata.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured resident doctors that measures would be taken with utmost sensitivity about their security at workplace. Following the assurance, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), which was spearheading the strike after the August 9 Kolkata rape-murder horror, announced calling off their agitation, an official release said here.

During the strike, the resident doctors, who sought speedy justice for the family of the Kolkata victim, stayed away from attending non-emergency medical services at public hospitals in the state.

Shinde also assured positive action on their demands for availability of hostels and regular payment of stipend, said the release.

Directing a comprehensive review of the security of resident medical officers at all state government medical colleges and hospitals, Shinde asked authorities to appoint police officers for coordination in this regard.

The CM asked the administration to give priority to resident doctors' accommodation and hostels and regular payment of stipends, said the release.

The Central MARD along with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) MARD, the association of resident doctors in the metropolis, had a meeting with Shinde about their various demands.

Both the associations announced they are calling off their ongoing strike after positive approach by the Chief Minister and his decisions in respect of their demands. The association presidents and their delegates present for the meeting announced after blood donation at a camp the strike would be called off.

Stating that resident medical officers are offering their service without any expectation at hospitals attached to government medical colleges, Shinde said it is necessary to take measures about their security and accommodation by taking in to account importance of their work.

Junior doctors at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on Thursday evening decided to withdraw their ongoing 'pen down' agitation over the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic in Kolkata.

"We are resuming duties and calling off our ‘pen down agitation’ following an appeal by the Supreme Court and a meeting with the state health minister," Ankit Kumar, president of the Junior Doctor's Association (JDA), RIMS, told PTI.

Earlier in the day, making an impassioned appeal to the agitating doctors across the country, the apex court urged them to get back to work, saying "justice and medicine" cannot be stopped. It also directed no coercive action against them.

The junior doctors have been on strike since August 13, boycotting work at the outpatient department (OPD) and elective surgeries.

"We had a meeting with the Jharkhand health minister on Wednesday and the RIMS administration on Thursday. They addressed several of our issues such as providing adequate security and proper rest rooms, installation of street lights across all medical colleges and hospitals in the state," Kumar stated.

The doctors will, however, sport black ribbons on their arms while on duty till the culprits are brought to book, he added.

The body of the trainee doctor was found with injury marks in a seminar room of the RG Kar hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The incident has triggered nationwide protests.

After the Supreme Court made an appeal, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) "temporarily suspended" its strike over the rape-murder of a trainee medic in Kolkata but said it will review their position in two weeks.

Earlier in the day, while making an impassioned appeal to the protesting doctors across the country, the apex court asked the protesting medics to get back to work, saying "justice and medicine" cannot be stopped and moreover, it was issuing all the necessary directions to ensure their safety. It further directed no coercive action against them.

In light of these developments and in the interest of patient care, FORDA has requested all its members to temporarily suspend the strike and resume their duties from Friday, the association said in a statement.

FORDA emphasised that this is only a suspension and not a termination of the strike and that they intend to closely monitor the situation concerning the demands of their colleagues at R G Kar Medical College and will review their position in two weeks.

The incident at R G Kar Medical College, which has deeply impacted the medical fraternity, sparked widespread outrage and led to a series of events characterised by claims of injustice, political involvement, and public scrutiny through social media, FORDA said in the statement.

FORDA, which has been actively leading the movement for "Justice for Abhaya," has expressed its gratitude to the Supreme Court for acknowledging the gravity of the situation, they said.

In its statement, FORDA welcomed the apex court's acceptance of their concerns and lauded the formation of a National Task Force to address critical issues affecting resident doctors, including work hours, safety, and living conditions.

"This is a significant and unprecedented step," said a FORDA representative. "We are also grateful to our legal team for ensuring that we have a voice within this task force." FORDA also urged the authorities to consider resident doctors on duty during this period of the strike and to refrain from taking any punitive actions against them. 

A special court in Kolkata on Thursday allowed the CBI to conduct a polygraph test on former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and four other doctors in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the hospital, officials said.

The CBI took Ghosh and four other doctors, who were on duty on the date of the incident on August 9, to a special court for seeking its permission to conduct the lie detection test on them, they said.

The lie detection test can only be conducted after a permission from the court and the consent of the suspect, they said.

The CBI application was granted by the Special court. The agency has also sought the polygraph test on main accused Sanjay Roy.

The ruling TMC on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's remark not to politicise the rape-murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata and accused the CBI, which is currently probing the case, of presenting misleading facts.

The apex court instructed political parties not to politicise the rape-murder of the doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, stating that "law will take its course." The court termed Kolkata Police's delay in registering the unnatural death of the doctor as "extremely disturbing" and instructed protesting medics to return to work.

"We don't want to comment on what the apex court has said as the matter is sub-judice. However, we welcome the Supreme Court's observation asking political parties not to politicise the matter and directing the protesting doctors to get back to work. Some political parties are trying to politicise the incident, and the CBI is attempting to mislead the public with distorted facts," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.

The TMC leader also said the state government will adhere to the court's instructions.

"Political parties that have been attempting to politicise the incident for their vested interests should now learn their lesson," he added.