August 10th 2024.
On Saturday, junior doctors at multiple hospitals in West Bengal took a stand against the recent sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. They held protests, including sit-ins and processions, to demand justice for the victim and harsh punishment for those responsible.
The victim's half-naked body was discovered inside the seminar hall of the government hospital on Friday, sending shockwaves throughout the medical community. Junior doctors, including interns, housestaff, and postgraduate trainees, gathered at the Kar Medical College and Hospital, National Medical College and Hospital, and Medical College, Kolkata to show their solidarity and demand justice.
Similar protests also took place at hospitals in other districts, such as Bardhaman Medical College and Hospital and Bankura Sammilani Medical College. The doctors also called for increased security measures to protect themselves while they continue to provide essential emergency services at these hospitals.
The CPI's student and youth wings, SFI and DYFI respectively, also joined in the protests and announced plans to hold road blockades across West Bengal to express their outrage over the incident. In the meantime, the police have arrested one suspect in connection with the murder, and investigations are ongoing.
According to a senior police officer, the man was an outsider who had easy access to different areas of the hospital. "We have arrested one person who we believe is directly involved in the crime. His suspicious activities have led us to consider him a suspect," the officer said.
The police have also questioned two intern doctors throughout the night as part of their ongoing investigation into the death of the victim. She was a second-year student in the chest medicine department and was on duty the night before her body was found. The initial autopsy report confirmed sexual abuse before her death, adding to the horror of the incident.
The victim's father has alleged that his daughter was raped and murdered inside the Kar Medical College and Hospital, and that there are attempts to cover up the truth. In response, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has promised to seek the death penalty for the accused and has ordered that the case be tried in a fast-track court for swift justice.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal has also assured the public that the police will do everything in their power to ensure that the accused receives the "highest punishment" if found guilty in court. During a press conference, he stated, "This is a heinous crime, and based on circumstantial evidence and accounts of other doctors present during the night shift, the arrested person is allegedly involved."
The tragic incident has sparked outrage and concern among the medical community and the general public in West Bengal. The doctors' protests and demands for justice serve as a reminder that violence against medical professionals cannot be tolerated, and measures must be taken to ensure their safety while they continue to save lives.
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