As the Supreme Court resumed the hearing in connection with the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month, the West Bengal government informed the court on Monday that “23 people have died as doctors weren’t working” amid the strike demanding justice.
After the incident took place on August 9, doctors in West Bengal went on strike seeking justice for the doctor. Doctors across the country also carried out protests seeking the safety of medical workers for several days but called the protests off after the top court urged them to return to work, however, doctors in Kolkata continued to strike.
On Sunday night as well, thousands gathered in Kolkata and across the globe, demanding justice for the victim. These demonstrations were part of a larger wave of protests, organised under the banner of “Reclaim the Night,” a movement calling for safety and justice for women in public spaces.
Advocate Kapil Sibal on Monday, appearing for the state government, said that the West Bengal Health Department submitted its report, saying 23 people have died as doctors are on strike in the state. The report was submitted in the court, Live Law reported.
Earlier on August 20, the Supreme Court termed the incident “horrific” and took additional measures to address safety concerns within the healthcare sector. The court issued several directives, including the formation of a 10-member National Task Force to develop protocols for ensuring the safety of doctors and healthcare workers across the country.
The court called upon protesting doctors who had been striking in solidarity with the victim to return to work, stating that “justice and medicine cannot be stopped.”
During its August 22 hearing, the top court criticised the Kolkata Police for their sluggish handling of the investigation as it was not until August 13 that the Calcutta High Court intervened, transferring the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI began its probe the following day, August 14.
The victim’s body was discovered in a seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9, bearing severe injuries. A civic volunteer was arrested the next day in connection with the crime, but the investigation has since widened, resulting in the arrest of the college’s former principal, Sandip Ghosh, as well.