In response to the shocking rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, the West Bengal government has transferred the hospital’s superintendent due to alleged lapses in security. The tragic incident, which occurred early on Friday, has sparked widespread protests among junior doctors, postgraduate trainees, and staff across the state.
The protests have led the state health department to cancel all leave for senior doctors to ensure adequate staffing when outpatient services resume on Monday. Medical associations across India, including the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association of India (FORDA), have expressed their support for the protesting doctors, with FORDA calling for a nationwide halt of elective services on Monday.
The Kolkata Police have arrested Sanjay Roy, a police volunteer, in connection with the crime. A special investigation team (SIT) is investigating the case, and a final post-mortem report is awaited. Preliminary findings indicate the victim was sexually assaulted before being strangled and smothered to death.
The West Bengal Doctors Forum has requested an impartial inquiry into the incident and called for capital punishment for the accused, alongside improved security for healthcare workers.