The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide strike starting at 6 am on August 17 in response to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. This strike also addresses the subsequent vandalism at the hospital. During the strike, emergency services will remain operational, but non-essential medical services, including out-patient departments and scheduled surgeries, will be suspended.
The Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the investigation into the trainee doctor’s death from Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The IMA, following a meeting with its state branches, condemned the violence at the hospital, where doctors have been protesting since August 9. The association criticized the authorities for failing to maintain law and order during a critical CBI investigation and expressed concerns about the potential loss of crucial evidence due to the vandalism.
According to Kolkata Police, a group of around 40 individuals disguised as demonstrators stormed the hospital, causing significant destruction. They vandalized the Emergency Ward, nursing station, medicine store, and a section of the OPD, and damaged CCTV cameras, a police vehicle, and multiple two-wheelers. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and several officers were injured during the incident.
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