Nationwide protests erupt over Kolkata doctor’s rape-murder: AIIMS Delhi OPD overwhelmed as doctors join strike

In a powerful display of solidarity, doctors across India have suspended all non-emergency services in response to the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The shocking incident has ignited widespread outrage, triggering nationwide protests that have severely disrupted healthcare services.

The junior doctor was tragically found dead in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College last Friday, a discovery that has sent shockwaves through the medical community. As per forensic investigation, prima facie it was found that the victim was raped and then killed. In reaction, doctors have halted Out-Patient Department (OPD) services across the country, leaving patients facing long delays and uncertainty. The protestors are demanding immediate and thorough justice for their colleague, whom they believe was brutally assaulted and murdered by a civic volunteer.

In Kolkata, the situation has grown increasingly dire. Doctors have not only suspended non-emergency services but have also ceased emergency care, effectively bringing the city’s healthcare system to a standstill. The protests escalated on Monday after Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who had resigned as Principal of RG Kar Medical College earlier in the day, was promptly appointed as the Principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH). This appointment has further inflamed the anger of the medical community, who perceive it as an attempt to sidestep the core issue. The protesting doctors have vowed to prevent Dr. Ghosh from assuming his new role at CNMCH.

In an attempt to address the growing crisis, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has set a deadline for the Kolkata police to solve the case by the end of the week. She has warned that if the case remains unresolved, it will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), adding further pressure to an already tense situation.

The impact of the protests has reverberated far beyond Kolkata. In Delhi, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which typically handles around 10,000 OPD patients daily, has seen a 20 percent drop in registrations as doctors there join the protest. Major hospitals in cities like Pune, Lucknow, and Jaipur are also experiencing significant disruptions. In Uttarakhand, where recent natural disasters have increased the demand for medical services, doctors continue to work but are wearing black armbands as a sign of solidarity.