Kolkata rape and murder case live: Doctors call for nationwide strike as protests swell
West Bengal chief minister leads protest in Kolkata demanding death penalty for those accused in rape and murder of 31-year-old doctor at capital Kolkata’s RG Kar medical college
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Doctors in India are staging protests against the rape and murder of a junior doctor, who was killed while on duty at a prominent state-run hospital in her West Bengal state.
The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee was found dead in a seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in state capital Kolkata on 9 August. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault.
A suspect has been arrested, a civil volunteer named Sanjay Roy, who is associated with the Kolkata police. The federal Central Bureau of Investigation has overtaken the case amid calls for an unbiased and transparent inquiry.
Services in government hospitals were affected and thousands of patients suffered after doctors launched a strike against workplace violence.
The Indian Medical Association, the country’s largest organisation of medics, said that it would implement a nationwide shutdown of most departments for 24 hours from Saturday morning, the largest such strike in at least a decade.
Hundreds and thousands of women across the country poured on to the streets at midnight demanding justice for the junior doctor as they participated in “reclaim the night” marches.
Victim’s family suspects foul play
The victim’s family alleged they were initially informed by a senior police official over the phone that their daughter had died by suicide.
A relative of the family, who went to the hospital with the doctor’s parents, said they were made to wait outside for three hours.
“The parents pleaded before them (hospital authorities) to show them their daughter’s face. But still, they were made to wait for three hours,” the relative told India Today.
The victim’s father told reporters: “I have turned down compensation. It will hurt my daughter if I accept money as compensation for her death. I want justice.”
Doctor’s brutal rape and murder leads to protests in India
The brutal rape and murder of a resident doctor during her 36-hour shift at a prominent state-run hospital in eastern India has led to an outbreak of protests and calls for a nationwide strike.
Protesters demanded “justice for our didi [elder sister]” outside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee was found dead.
The Independent spoke to doctors who unanimously agreed that the facility lacked safety measures for medical workers.
Our ground report :
Kolkata protests: Doctor’s brutal rape and murder leads to protests in India
The Independent meets protesters in Kolkata demanding ‘justice’ for murdered 31-year-old resident as incident leads to calls for a nationwide walkout
Doctors in India demand safety at the workplace
Hundreds and thousands of doctors across government hospitals in India staged a strike earlier this week, seeking justice for the victim and better workplace safety for the medicos.
The pan-India doctors’ strike was in response to a call by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (Forda) in solidarity with the agitation in Kolkata.
The resident doctors association of the RG Kar Medical College ceased work on the emergency services last week.
The federation demanded the implementation of the central healthcare protection act, which prohibits acts of violence against healthcare service personnel including doctors, nurses, para-medical workers, medical students, and ambulance drivers.
The nationwide strike was called off after two days but the doctors at RG Kar refused to rejoin work.
Protests swell over rape and murder of 31-year-old doctor
Protests have erupted across India over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor, who was found dead inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.
The victim was last seen after midnight on 9 August before she went to a third-floor seminar hall of the pulmonology department in the emergency building of the hospital during her 36-hour on-call duty.
Her partially naked body with visible marks of abuse was discovered by fellow students after 7am (local time) on Friday.
The local police arrested a civil volunteer associated with the Kolkata Police, Sanjay Roy, and remanded him to 14 days of custody. The suspect has been charged with rape and murder.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s blog on the ongoing protests in India demanding justice for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments