India’s medical professionals initiated a nationwide strike on Saturday in response to the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a government hospital in West Bengal. The Indian Medical Association, the country’s largest physicians’ organization, called for the strike, asserting that all non-essential hospital services would halt for 24 hours.
This work stoppage has impacted thousands of patients across India, with protests led predominantly by women growing more intense in recent days, as they demand safer work conditions.
The tragic incident occurred on August 9, when police found the 31-year-old trainee doctor’s bloodied body in a seminar hall at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A police volunteer assigned to the hospital has been detained in connection with the murder, while the victim’s family alleges the involvement of multiple assailants in a gang rape. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault.
Federal investigators have taken over the case following accusations that state authorities mishandled the initial investigation. On Wednesday night, thousands of women participated in “Reclaim The Night” marches nationwide, demanding justice for the victim and calling for the death penalty for the attackers.
Currently, thousands of medical workers throughout India are voicing demands for justice and assurances of safety for healthcare professionals. Many have restricted their services to emergency care and are planning additional strikes throughout the weekend. Doctors emphasize that this assault underscores the precarious situation faced by healthcare workers who often lack adequate safety measures in medical facilities across the country.
The Indian Medical Association urged public support in their “struggle for justice,” characterizing the murder as a “crime of barbaric scale” stemming from the absence of secure environments for women. The doctors are also advocating for tougher legislation to safeguard them against violence, including making attacks on on-duty medical staff a non-bailable offense.
Sexual violence against women is, unfortunately, a pervasive issue in India. Many incidents remain unreported due to societal stigma and a distrust of law enforcement. Activists argue that the situation is exacerbated in rural areas, where communities may shame victims and families fear for their reputations. Nonetheless, reported rape cases have been rising, with 31,516 incidents logged by police in 2022, marking a 20 percent increase from the previous year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.