Medics Halt Work Across Madhya Pradesh Over Hospital Vandalism, Murder

Hundreds of resident doctors in Madhya Pradesh, including those at AIIMS Bhopal, protested on Friday against the alleged rape and murder of a female physician and vandalism at a Kolkata hospital. The strike affected medical services, although emergency and ICU functions continued. The IMA criticized the situation.

Hundreds of resident doctors in Madhya Pradesh, including those at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, went on strike Friday to protest the alleged rape and murder of a woman medico and subsequent vandalism at a Kolkata health facility.

Striking physicians abstained from attending outpatient department (OPD) and elective operation theatre (OT) services but continued to manage emergency and ICU functions. The strike, called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), has left many patients in the state unattended.

The protests focus on horrific incidents, including the rape and brutal murder of a young woman medico on August 9 at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the subsequent vandalism of the facility on Independence Day. The IMA has heavily criticized the handling of the case and the violence against medical students.

(With inputs from agencies.)