Junior doctors write to President, seeks intervention to end standoff

Junior doctors on Friday have written to President and seek her intervention to end impasse. The body of the postgraduate trainee was found with injury marks in a seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. She was allegedly raped and killed while on duty. The incident has triggered nationwide outrage and protests.

In the letter, they wrote:

"The gruesome nature of the crime, the alleged attempts to cover it up, and the attendant atmosphere of fear woke the nation up to demand impartial investigative process and a speedy, fair and rational trial. In pursuance of the collective sentiment, the people of West Bengal had sought to show solidarity to the deceased and their thirst for justice through "Reclaim the night" candle-lit street marches across the cities, towns and even villages during the early hours of August 15th 2024. It was under such odd hours that an unapprehended mob barged unabated into the premises of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and ransacked the hospital campus, vandalised the Emergency department, tore through the make-shift protest site, and attempted to further destroy the sanctity of the alleged place of occurrence, threatening to do away with whatever evidence was left. Through all this time, the state police stood as mute spectators, while we, the doctors, ran to find shelter out of the clutches of these hooligans."

Talking about the turbid atmosphere for the junior doctors, they wrote:

"In this turbid atmosphere of fear, distrust and hopelessness, the junior doctors in West Bengal have been forced to avoid working within the hospital premises and Instead, have taken alternative modes to discharge our duty of providing health care services to the citizens. The WBJDF@as been organising medical camps under the Abhaya Clinics initiative, on public grounds, at several places across the state, to continue to provide free access for all to receive health-care services."

We also express our gratitude to our seniors, faculties and all other professionals of the health system who have stood steadfast and have persisted at delivering emergency management and elective interventions to those seeking medical care. In the spirit of the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India's maxim "Justice and Medicine can not go on strike", we continue to work against all odds so that the sick and the suffering of our country may be offered some respite as best as it can be achieved through the current medical infrastructure."

The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to submit a fresh report by September 17 on the probe in the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The apex court also directed a senior officer of the West Bengal government's Home department and a senior CISF officer to ensure all three companies of the CISF, which are deputed for security at the RG Kar Hospital, are given accommodation.