Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Principal resigns amid huge protests; Delhi hospitals on strike

The principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Dr Sandip Ghosh, resigned on Monday (August 12) amid huge protests over the rape and murder of a woman doctor on campus last week.

Hospital services across West Bengal were disrupted on Monday (August 12) as junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day, protesting the rape and murder of a woman doctor and demanding a magisterial inquiry into her death.

Over the past three days, junior doctors had been attending to emergency duties, but as of Monday morning, they have ceased even those responsibilities, sources said.

Demand for impartial investigation

"We want an impartial investigation into the murder of our colleague, either by the CBI or a sitting magistrate. We are dissatisfied with the current police investigation and will continue our protest until justice is served and the state ensures foolproof security for all doctors and healthcare workers," said a protesting junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place.

The body of the woman post-graduate trainee was found inside a seminar hall of the hospital on Friday morning (August 9). A civic volunteer was arrested on Saturday (August 10) in connection with the crime.

The state government has cancelled the leave of all senior doctors to manage the situation.

"Our senior doctors are on duty, and we hope they will handle the patient influx. They have been instructed to work until the situation stabilises," an official told PTI.

On Mondays, the outpatient departments of state government hospitals experience a large volume of patients.

Support for agitating doctors

Support for the agitating doctors has been pouring in from various parts of the country. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association of India (FORDA) has endorsed the strike and called for a nationwide halt of elective services on Monday, informing the Union Health Ministry of their decision.

The West Bengal Doctors’ Forum has also appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for an impartial inquiry committee to investigate the rape and murder of the doctor. Additionally, they have demanded increased security for doctors and health workers across the state and capital punishment for the perpetrator.

10 govt hospitals in Delhi begin indefinite strike

Ten government hospitals in Delhi have begun an indefinite strike, halting all elective services on Monday, in response to the recent rape and murder of a resident doctor in Kolkata.

The Maulana Azad Medical College, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, GTB, IHBAS, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, and National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases Hospital are participating in the strike, which began at 9 am, according to a statement by the Resident Doctors' Associations (RDA).

According to the RDA, during the indefinite strike, all outpatient departments (OPDs), operation theatres (OTs), and ward duties will be shut, but emergency services will continue to operate as usual, ensuring that urgent patient care remains unaffected.

"As a mark of solidarity with our colleagues at RG Kar, we announce a nationwide suspension of elective services in hospitals starting Monday, August 12. This decision is not made lightly but is necessary to ensure that our voices are heard and that the demands for justice and safety are addressed without further delay," the statement read.

(With agency inputs)