A doctor displays a placard during a protest against the incident of rape and murder of a young medic in Kolkata
AFP
Hospital services were disrupted in several Indian cities on Tuesday after a doctors' protest spread nationwide following the rape and murder of a trainee medic in the city of Kolkata, authorities and media said.
The incident took place on August 9 when a 31-year-old woman's brutalized body was found bearing multiple injuries at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal's Kolkata, where she was a resident doctor.
In an interview with Lallantop, the victim's family claimed they were told their daughter's death was a suicide and were forced to wait outside the hospital for three hours before being allowed to view her body.
What did the post-mortem report reveal?
According to India Today, a four-page autopsy report revealed that her thyroid cartilage was broken due to strangulation and a deep wound was found in her genitals. The report said the wounds were caused by "perverted sexuality" and "genital torture". The newspaper quoted sources saying the murder and rape likely took place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on August 9.
Arrests made
Indian police have detained a man, identified as Sanjay Roy, who worked at the same hospital and helped people navigate busy queues, according to local media reports.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the case after the Calcutta High Court ordered a transfer of the investigation from Kolkata police.
Doctors take the streets
Demonstrations by doctors demanding justice and better workplace security that initially began in Kolkata have now spread to other parts of the country.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) suspended its indefinite strike following assurances from Union Health Minister JP Nadda regarding their demands.
Practicing doctors and medical staff display placards as they take part in a protest against the incident of rape and murder of a young medic in Kolkata, during a demonstration held at a government hospital in New Delhi on August 12, 2024.AFP
While FORDA has resumed duties, other medical associations, including the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), will continue their protest until their demands are fully met and a concrete solution is found.
"There should be stringent security measures in hospitals and CCTV cameras should be installed," said Sarvesh Pandey, from the Federation of Resident Doctors Association.
Pandey added that the protesting doctors' demands included a specialized law protecting healthcare workers from violence on the job.
But doctors say they face additional threats of workplace violence from angry family members of patients, especially after delivering bad news.
A survey by the Indian Medical Association found 75% of doctors in India had faced some form of violence.
Political blame game
The tragic incident sparked a political upheaval in West Bengal. On August 10, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee suggested the introduction of an ordinance or bill to fast-track rape trials, condemning the political exploitation of the matter.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted that as long as Mamata Banerjee remains chief minister, no woman in the state will feel secure and further accused her of siding with the accused who raped and murdered the doctor.
Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India. An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people, reported AFP.
Additional input from AFP and Reuters.
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