Doctor Raped and Killed in Indian Hospital, Medical Workers Go on Strike

NEW DELHI – Medical workers, including doctors, government hospitals in several states India mass strike since Monday. It was a protest after a female doctor raped and was killed at a hospital in Kolkata last Friday.

The victim, who was 31, was attacked at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital—where she was a resident doctor.

The victim was attacked after he went to rest in the seminar room after having dinner with his colleagues.

Her abused body was found with multiple injuries and an autopsy confirmed sexual assault and murder.

On Saturday, police arrested Sanjay Roy, a “civil volunteer” at the hospital, in connection with the victim’s murder.

Roy’s duties are unclear, but local media reports say he worked partly as a broker, helping expedite patient admissions in exchange for money.

Protests by healthcare workers demanding fairness and better workplace safety. The protests initially started in Kolkata, West Bengal, but have now spread to other states in India.

“This decision was not made lightly but was necessary to ensure that our voices are heard,” the doctors’ federation said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters. The GuardianTuesday (13/8/2024).

The federation said it was demanding not only a speedy trial but also an investigation to determine the factors that allowed the crime to occur, and urgent action to improve the safety of doctors, especially women, in hospitals.