Protests continue across West Bengal with the demand of immediate arrests and conviction of the culprits involved in the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week.
Even as the Calcutta High Court ordered the West Bengal government to hand over the investigation of the case to the CBI, protesting doctors and students said they would continue their agitation until those responsible for the heinous crime are arrested and punished.
A forum of senior doctors in West Bengal, the Joint Platform for Doctors, has called for a strike in non-emergency departments of all government and private hospitals on Wednesday from 8 am to 4 pm.
Meanwhile, junior doctors in 21 government medical colleges and hospitals are already on strike. As a result, medical services are expected to be further affected in West Bengal.
Due to the ongoing protests, outpatient departments have largely collapsed in most government hospitals, and the shortage of doctors in emergency departments, run mostly by trainee and junior doctors, has further disrupted services.
Some hospitals attempted to resume normal operations on Tuesday morning. But pressure from protesting doctors cut short the effort. Patients and their families are facing the consequences.
Kakoli Kundu, whose son recently underwent leg surgery at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, said she had to discharge him because his treatment was disrupted by the ongoing protest.
“His dressings are not done properly. Doctors haven’t even informed us when we should return to cut his stitches,” Kundu, a resident of North 24 Parganas’ Sodepur, said.
A similar experience was shared by Amit Das from South 24 Parganas’ Basirhat. Das, whose mother-in-law is admitted in the hospital, said, “Doctors are not even visiting patients regularly. We can’t take her anywhere else as there are strikes in every government hospital.”
The Joint Platform for Doctors’ Dr Punyabrata Goon claimed they were not left with any other option. He said, “Now we are hearing that despite the CBI taking charge of the investigation, RG Kar authorities are renovating rooms near the seminar hall where the trainee doctor was found dead.”
Dr Goon added, “We suspect they are trying to destroy evidence. So we don’t have any other option but to put pressure on investigating officials.”
Meanwhile, a section of Kolkata’s civil society held a rally from the city’s Shyambajar to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to protest the brutal rape and murder of the junior doctor there.
They demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the crime. “I have come here as a citizen of Kolkata and I support each and every demand made by the students,” said filmmaker Aparna Sen, who joined the rally by the civil society members, to the protesting students at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
“The government must act. It cannot escape responsibility. Culprits must be punished in a way so that it sets an example. The police’s role must also be investigated,” she added.
They were also seen requesting students to organise their movement in a way that doesn’t affect treatment and other medical services. “Most of them who come for treatment in government hospitals are very poor. Students must understand their concern,” said singer Dr. Pallab Kirtania, who was also a part of the rally.
“If these people continue to suffer, it will also tarnish the image of the movement. I request protesters to please ensure no patient goes home without treatment.”
Meanwhile, the CBI began its investigation soon after the Calcutta High Court gave the central agency the charge of investigation. CBI officials visited Tala Police Station, which has jurisdiction over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to gather evidence, reports, and CCTV footage connected to the case.
The division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya also directed the CBI to periodically file progress report of the investigation.