More Indian hospitals were disrupted on August 13 as doctors continued nationwide protests against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Authorities and the media say demonstrations for the deceased 31-year-old gained further momentum from the previous day.
Thousands of patients were left without care across the country. Kolkata state officials said emergency services remained suspended in almost all of their government-run hospitals.
And over 8 000 government doctors joined the strikes in the western Maharashtra state, halting all hospital departments except emergency services.
Doctors held posters calling for justice for the victim, with some medics, like Dr Rangunathan Dixit in New Delhi, calling for the Central Bureau of Investigation to act.
“We want a fair inquiry and demand CBI intervention. We are demanding strict action against authorities who tried to conceal evidence related to the case and the resignation of the college principal.”
Doctors in India’s crowded and often squalid government hospitals say they are overworked and underpaid, and sometimes bear the brunt of violence by those angry at inadequate medical services.
Medics maintain their workplace environment is unsafe, even after the weekend arrest of a police volunteer in Kolkata for the doctor’s murder.
A health ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Protesting doctor, Abdul Waqim Khan says, “The principal of the college who made reckless statements about the incident was merely transferred out of the college. We’re demanding his termination, not transfer. We are also demanding the death penalty for the criminal caught in the case.”
A Kolkata police chief told reporters a case had been registered against the suspect relating to rape and murder. The regional chief Minister said she’d given state police a deadline of August 18 to finish their investigation.
Source: eNCA
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