Indian doctors hold nationwide strike over brutal rape, murder of fellow medic

Following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, Indian health workers and human rights activists staged nationwide protests and strikes. 

Medics across the country shut down their hospital services, according to Indian media.

The body of 31-year-old trainee doctor Moumita Debnath was found half-naked and with signs of severe physical torture in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9. She had reportedly gone there to rest during her 36-hour shift.

The victims' parents were initially told by hospital administrators that their daughter had committed suicide. However, an autopsy confirmed that she was raped and brutally murdered by the perpetrators.

A hospital volunteer was detained on suspicion of the heinous crime. However, activists accused the police of dismissing the case and lacking transparency in their handling of the matter.

Following public outrage and the protesters' demands, India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case from Kolkata police.

Delhi: Students of Delhi University stage a protest regarding the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident that took place in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/Vtbt2Zxu0w

— IANS (@ians_india) August 17, 2024

The country's largest organisation of medics, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), announced the largest strike and complete shutdown of services nationwide from Saturday morning.

On the night of August 14th, thousands of women took to the streets of Kolkata under the slogan "Reclaim the Night," demanding "Independence to live in freedom and without fear."

During the demonstration, a group of men stormed RKG Hospital and vandalised the property. Protesters clashed with police and were eventually dispersed with tear gas.

According to Indian media, at least 25 people have been apprehended by police on suspicion of involvement in the doctor's horrific murder.

After the murder of Moumita, several incidents of sexual abuse and murder of women in different cities surfaced on social media.

In Uttarakhand, a Muslim nurse was sexually assaulted while returning home from work, and her body was disposed of in a vacant plot. The accused has been arrested by the police.

A teenage Dalit girl was gang-raped, and her mutilated body was discovered near a pond in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Tuesday.