Nationwide Protests Erupt as Doctors Demand Justice for Sexual Assault Victim

Doctors and medical students across India protested following the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee doctor in Kolkata. The protests, led by FAIMA, call for a CBI probe and better workplace safety. Services in government hospitals were suspended, though emergency services remain operational.

Doctors and medical students held a protest at AIIMS Delhi on Tuesday after the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) called for a nationwide shutdown of OPD services from Tuesday. This action was taken in solidarity against the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Dr. Indra Shekhar Prasad, President of the Resident Doctors Association at AIIMS Delhi, stated, 'This is such a serious incident. A woman who was on duty was sexually assaulted and murdered brutally. If such incidents happen at workplaces, how will the women work? We have several demands regarding safety concerns. We want a CBI probe into this; till then, we will continue our protest.'

He further emphasized that concerning the safety of doctors, the strike would continue until there is a written assurance on the timeline of the Central Protection Act. Doctors and medical students at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital also joined the protest, demanding a CBI probe into the incident.

Protests were also staged in Mumbai and Nagpur, with demonstrators demanding justice for the woman post-graduate trainee doctor. BMC MARD General Secretary Dr. Akshay Dongardive remarked, 'The woman doctor was on duty when she was raped. The post-mortem revealed blood was oozing from her private parts. This is a major rape-murder case after the Nirbhaya incident. It puts us all to shame. We have joined the nationwide protest. All resident doctors across all government hospitals in Maharashtra are observing suspension of services today. Emergency services are still operational; patients are not facing any issues.'

In Nagpur, doctors and medical students protested in front of the OPD of Government Medical College & Hospital (GMCH). Dr. Diksha Bajaj from the hospital said, 'Doctors spend more time in hospitals than they do at their homes. This is our second home. If we are not safe here, where will we be safe? We demand our safety and nothing else. We are serving the patients, but our safety is important too. If we are not safe, how will we do our work? We want justice. We will call off our strike once we get justice.'

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Union Minister JP Nadda, demanding a detailed inquiry into the conditions enabling the crime and the steps required to improve doctor safety, especially for women. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)