UK Doctors Demand Justice for Raped and Murdered Kolkata Doctor

A group of Indian doctors and medical students in the UK demand justice for a female postgraduate trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata. They criticize the West Bengal government's inaction and call for safety measures and internal complaint mechanisms in workplaces.

A group of Indian doctors and medical students based in the UK has issued an open letter this weekend, demanding justice for a postgraduate trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The letter condemns the "brutal rape and murder of an on-duty female doctor" and criticizes the West Bengal government for its perceived inaction in response to the incident last week.

The letter follows peaceful protests staged outside India House in London and similar gatherings in UK cities such as Edinburgh and Leeds, showing solidarity with doctors protesting in India.

"This incident is a symptom of the rising violence against women and the negligence of the state towards its citizens," states the open letter. It highlights the lack of investment in public infrastructure and safety measures, which disproportionately impacts marginalized women.

According to the letter, government leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, have historically indulged in victim-blaming and misogynistic responses instead of supporting women's empowerment by creating safe workplaces and efficient judicial mechanisms.

The death of the female doctor at RG Kar Medical College underscores the urgent need for public safety measures and internal complaint mechanisms in workplaces across the country.

On August 9, a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College, leading to nationwide protests demanding justice for the victim.

Further protests are planned in the UK, including a peaceful demonstration by British Indian women doctors at Parliament Square, London, near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on August 22.

"We stand in solidarity with our fraternity. Justice delayed is justice denied, is the collective refrain of doctors who have reached out from across the UK, US, Canada, and the UAE," said Dr. Dipti Jain, a National Health Service (NHS) geriatrician based in Brighton.

Dr. Jain, coordinating next week's protest, is the Lead for the Pan UK South Asian Doctors and the chair of the Medicos Women Charity.

In India, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to all its members to continue the strike until Sunday morning as part of ongoing protests in the country.

Meanwhile, reports from Delhi reveal that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is questioning the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for the second day concerning its probe into the attack, and a civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the horrific incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)