Junior doctors, who have been on a ‘cease work’ strike for 41 days, announced they will “partially” resume duties in emergency and essential services at state-run hospitals starting Saturday, following the West Bengal government’s acceptance of most of their demands.

The doctors began their strike after the rape and murder of a 31-year-old female postgraduate trainee doctor inside the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. On Friday, they plan to lift their sit-in protest outside Swasthya Bhawan.

Also Read:Kolkata doctor rape murder: WB Medical Council cancels ex-RG Kar principal’s licence amid CBI probe

Before concluding their protest, the doctors will hold a march from Swasthya Bhawan, the state health department’s headquarters, to the CBI office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake.

“It has been decided that given the flood situation in West Bengal and the state government agreeing to certain demands of ours, we will be rejoining emergency and essential services partially from Saturday. We are withdrawing our cease work partially,” an agitating doctor stated following a general body meeting, PTI reported.

Also Read:RG Kar protests: TMC MLA Debnath stirs row, says ‘Some women are going out to buy alcohol at night’

The protesting doctors clarified that while they will not return to the Out Patient Department (OPD), they will resume work in emergency and essential services on a limited basis.

“We will withdraw our sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan on Friday after the march to the CBI office. We will wait for a week for implementation of all the promises made by the West Bengal government and if unfulfilled, we will resume ‘cease work’,” the doctors said, adding that their fight for justice has not ended.

Also Read:RG Kar protest: Junior doctors meet to decide future of ongoing ‘cease work’ over rape-murder case

These developments come days after doctors met with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, following two failed attempts at talks between the government and resident doctors.

Junior doctors have been protesting for more than a month in a movement that has spread across India.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is handling the RG Kar case, while the Supreme Court is hearing a suo-moto case related to the incident that shocked the nation.

(With PTI Inputs)