In response to a violent attack on medical staff at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, doctors’ associations in West Bengal and political parties are organizing protests.
The incident occurred during a series of marches led by tens of thousands of women participating in the “Reclaim the Night” event on Wednesday, demanding freedom and safety.
While most protests were peaceful, clashes broke out when a group of unidentified men forcibly entered RG Kar Hospital, vandalizing the emergency ward.
Videos online depict the men destroying hospital equipment and beds with sticks. Some doctors and hospital staff were injured, and police vehicles were damaged, leading to the use of tear gas to control the crowd.
The Kolkata police have arrested 19 individuals related to the attack.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has condemned the violence, labeling it as “hooliganism unleashed on protesting students,” and announced a 24-hour strike of non-emergency services starting Saturday morning.
The IMA stressed the need for improved safety measures for doctors, especially women, within hospitals.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (Forda) has resumed its strike after a temporary halt following assurances from federal Health Minister JP Nadda regarding the implementation of a federal law to protect doctors from violence.
The attack has ignited political tensions in West Bengal, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) of orchestrating the violence, a claim the TMC denies, attributing the unrest to “political outsiders.”
The rape of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at the hospital has shocked the nation. Her severely injured body was found in a seminar hall last week, leading to the arrest of a hospital volunteer.
Additionally, two other recent rape cases have come to light: a nurse allegedly raped and murdered in Uttarakhand and a six-year-old Dalit girl gang-raped and murdered in Bihar.
Source-BBC
