India’s healthcare professionals initiated a nationwide strike on Saturday to protest the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a public hospital in West Bengal. The Indian Medical Association, the country’s largest group of doctors, organized the strike, which has led to the suspension of all non-essential services in hospitals for 24 hours. This work stoppage has impacted thousands of patients across the nation.
The protests, mainly led by women, have intensified recently, with demonstrators calling for a safer environment for medical workers.
The tragic incident occurred on August 9 when the body of the 31-year-old trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Authorities have detained a police volunteer in connection with the incident, but the victim’s family alleges this was a gang rape involving multiple individuals. An autopsy has confirmed that sexual assault took place.
Federal investigators are now looking into the case after allegations of inadequate handling by state government officials surfaced.
On Wednesday night, numerous women took to the streets in “Reclaim The Night” marches seeking justice for the victim, with some protesters demanding the death penalty for those responsible.
Medical professionals across India are rallying for justice for the victim and enhanced safety measures for doctors and paramedics in healthcare settings. Many medical personnel are limiting services to emergency care only and have indicated that further strikes are planned over the weekend.
The assault has underscored the dangers that healthcare workers face in hospitals without adequate safety measures. The Indian Medical Association urged public support in their fight for justice and characterized the killing as a “crime of barbaric scale due to the absence of safe environments for women.” They are also advocating for stricter laws to protect healthcare workers from violence, including proposals for making assaults on on-duty medics a non-bailable offense.
Sexual violence remains a pervasive issue in India, with many crimes going unreported due to stigma and distrust in law enforcement. Women’s rights activists emphasize that the situation is particularly severe in rural areas, where community pressures can dissuade victims from coming forward.
Despite these challenges, reported cases of rape have risen, with police recording 31,516 incidents in 2022, marking a 20 percent increase from the previous year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.