Doctors strike across India to protest rape and murder of trainee medic


Thousands of doctors have gone on strike across India to demand better protection for health workers after a trainee medic was raped and murdered in West Bengal capital Kolkata

The resident doctor’s body was found last Friday with multiple injuries and signs of sexual assault in a seminar hall at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city of Kolkata, local police said. One suspect has been arrested named Sanjay Roy

On Monday, medical associations in multiple states urged doctors at government hospitals to stop providing all elective services indefinitely as they called for the case to be fast-tracked through the courts and for the establishment of a protective committee for health workers.

“Around 300,000 doctors across the country have joined the protest , today on Tuesday OPD service also got affected as protest intensified across India .
Videos of protest from AIIMS Delhi and multiple other cities shows doctors raising slogans of we want Justice and demanding for security cover for doctors and medics .

Many of the doctors also highlighted incidents of violence toward health workers and threats of physical abuse by angry patients or their family members.

A survey in 2015 by the Indian Medical Association found 75% of doctors in India had faced some form of violence, local media reported at the time.

The investigation of rape and murder is handed of to central bureau of investigation by Calcutta High court

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was shocked to learn the trainee doctor had been killed in the hospital and backed protesters’ calls for the case to be fast tracked.