Doctors in Kolkata took to the streets in large numbers today, forming a human chain to protest the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. A massive number of healthcare professionals formed human chains and blocked several roads in the West Bengal capital.
Amid the protests, a unique gesture stood out. Protesting doctors and police officers, who were maintaining order, shared a moment of camaraderie. Doctors tied rakhis on the wrists of police personnel and in return, the cops distributed toffees to the doctors.
Several former students of RG Kar Medical College, many of them now veteran doctors, joined the protest alongside their younger colleagues. Some of whom protesting had graduated as far back as the 1960s, holding placards and demanding swift justice.
“I belong to the 1964 batch. What has happened in the hospital is just unthinkable, and it is the call of the hour to hit the streets to protest,” one veteran doctor said, as quoted by news agency ANI. “We need justice.”
The ongoing protests have impacted healthcare services across West Bengal, particularly in state-run hospitals. Junior doctors, who have been at the forefront of the agitation, have continued their cease-work protest, demanding the swift punishment of those responsible for the crime and the public release of the victim’s post-mortem examination report.
State-run hospitals witnessed long queues at out-patient departments today, with senior doctors stepping in to handle the influx of patients. “This protest is for seeking justice for a female doctor who faced brutality while treating patients for 36 hours at a stretch. It is the 11th day since her body was discovered, but where is the justice? We will continue this stir until we get justice for our sister,” said an agitating doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The tragic incident has sparked outrage not just in Kolkata but across the country, with medics from various states joining in solidarity. Their demands extend beyond justice for the victim; they are also calling for stronger legislation to ensure better security and safety for healthcare professionals at their workplaces.
Lawyers of the Calcutta High Court joined the growing wave of protests today. The advocates, carrying banners and placards, made their voices heard as they marched through the streets of Kolkata, calling for accountability and justice.
“We want justice. We demand that the accused must be arrested as soon as possible and be given the punishment they deserve,” said advocate Mousami Choudhry, as quoted by news agency ANI.
