Medic’s rape-murder: Healthcare services affected in Bengal as doctors continue stir

PTI, Aug 22, 2024, 12:55 PM IST

Kolkata: Healthcare services remained affected at state-run hospitals in West Bengal on Thursday, as junior doctors continued their ceasework for the 14th consecutive day to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH).

The agitating doctors continued their stir even though the state government transferred three officials of the RGKMCH and cancelled the posting of the Hospital’s former principal Sandip Ghosh to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CNMC).

“Our agitation will continue as only part of our demands have been met. We have the main demand for the justice of our sister yet to be fulfilled. We will wait and see today’s development at the Supreme Court and decide after that,” one of the agitating doctors told PTI.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the investigation into the alleged rape and murder of the woman doctor at RGKMCH, will be submitting its status report on the probe to the Supreme Court.

The West Bengal government on Wednesday night removed three senior officials of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, bowing to the demand of junior doctors who have been protesting against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in the state-run health facility.

As per their demand, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital’s former principal doctor Sandip Ghosh, who was shifted to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital as its principal, was also removed from that position, Health Secretary NS Nigam said.

Three senior officials of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) were transferred to various state-run health facilities, he said.

“We will hold a meeting after seeing the development today at the Supreme Court and then decide on the ceasework issue,” one of the agitating doctors said..

Police recovered the body of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor lying inside a seminar hall of the RGKMCH on August 9 morning.

A civic volunteer was arrested the next day for his alleged involvement in the crime.