Indian doctors have escalated nationwide protests and strikes following the brutal rape and murder of a colleague. The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing issue of violence against women. The 31-year-old doctor’s bloodied body was discovered on August 9 at a state-run hospital in Kolkata, sparking outrage across the country.
Hundreds of doctors and healthcare workers gathered in Kolkata on Friday, demanding justice and carrying signs that read, “No safety, no service!” Protests also took place in New Delhi and Nagpur, Maharashtra. Multiple medical unions, from both government and private sectors, have backed the strike.
“We are intensifying our protests to demand justice for our colleague,” said Suvrankar Datta from the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. Doctors at government hospitals in several states halted elective services “indefinitely” starting Monday in protest.
Thousands marched through Kolkata on Wednesday night to condemn the killing, with a candlelight rally coinciding with the start of India’s Independence Day celebrations. The Indian Medical Association has called for a “nationwide withdrawal of services” for 24 hours starting Saturday, suspending all non-essential medical procedures at private hospitals.
Indian media reported that the murdered doctor was found in the seminar hall of the teaching hospital, possibly resting during a long shift. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault, and the victim’s parents, in a court petition, suspected their daughter was gang-raped.
Though police have detained a man working at the hospital, there are accusations of mishandling the case by state government officers. The arrested man was escorted by armed police for a health checkup on Friday.
Sexual violence against women is a widespread issue in India, with nearly 90 rapes reported daily in 2022. This attack has drawn comparisons to the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, which sparked massive protests and led to stricter penalties for rapists.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanded swift punishment for those who commit “monstrous” acts against women on Thursday.
