Kolkata: Junior doctors in Bengal, protesting the rape and murder of a colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital on August 8, resumed their indefinite strike on Tuesday. They reiterated demands for improved safety and security measures for medical professionals in hospitals and clinics across the state.
“We are compelled to resume a full ceasework starting today. Without clear government action on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will be forced to continue our strike,” the doctors said in a statement issued this morning.
They also criticized the “slow” progress of the CBI investigation into their colleague’s murder, expressing frustration: “We’ve seen too often that CBI investigations fail to reach conclusions, allowing real culprits to escape due to delays in filing charges…”
“The Supreme Court, which aimed to expedite the trial of this heinous incident, has instead postponed hearings and shortened the actual length of the proceedings. We are disappointed and outraged by this drawn-out judicial process,” the doctors’ association expressed.
Ten days ago, the junior doctors ended a month-long agitation after meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and resumed providing essential and emergency services, though they continued to withdraw from outpatient departments. They had given the state a week to address their demands.
The resumption of the strike comes after an eight-hour meeting between the protesting doctors, who had previously submitted a list of 10 demands to Chief Minister Banerjee’s government.
In addition to enhanced security measures, the demands included improvements to hospital infrastructure and the dismissal of key officials in her administration, including the Health Secretary, due to allegations of a “threat culture.”
They stated that these measures were “clearly communicated” during their meeting with the Chief Minister and government officials, but the lack of action left them with no choice. However, the state has since replaced Kolkata Police chief Vineet Kumar Goyal and two officials from the health department.
On Monday night, as discontent among the junior doctors grew, Bengal’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, told NDTV that he had spoken with them and was “confident they will respond.”
“Work is Underway,” Says State
“They are here to serve society, for which they have trained. They are doctors, and we respect their profession; every citizen values their work, and we expect the same response from them,” he explained. He noted that the Chief Minister had already held review meetings with the principals and heads of medical colleges and universities, indicating that “work has begun.”
“Progress is at different stages; in some areas, it’s 30%, in others, 40%,” he stated. “For any project, some time is required. Installing CCTV cameras and constructing bathrooms both take time. The important thing is that we are making progress,” he reassured the doctors.
“Everyone is collaborating on this effort, and I am confident the results will become apparent. We should remain patient as the work unfolds,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, which had taken suo moto cognizance of the killing, resumed hearing the case on Monday, focusing on a troubling new development. AI-generated photos of the murdered doctor have started circulating online, in direct violation of the Supreme Court’s orders.
### Ongoing CBI Investigation
The junior doctor was discovered dead in a seminar room at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the early hours of August 9. Her brutal killing ignited widespread protests across the country, drawing comparisons to the horrific Nirbhaya rape and murder case in Delhi in December 2012.
The CBI, which took over the investigation after the Calcutta High Court ordered it to do so, has arrested Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was the chief of RG Kar Hospital at the time. He resigned shortly after, citing “moral responsibility.”
Ghosh has been detained in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the hospital’s operations and has undergone extensive interrogation, including a lie-detector test. His properties and those of his associates have also been searched. Additionally, the CBI has taken into custody Sanjoy Roy, a civilian volunteer with the Kolkata Police, who is the prime suspect in the case.
The doctor’s murder has triggered a significant political uproar, with the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Chief Minister facing intense pressure from opposition parties and civil society activists.
