Indian Doctors Protest After Colleague's Tragic Death

Junior doctors in India protested after the rape and murder of a colleague, calling for enhanced security. Despite a strike ending, many continued their protest, highlighting ongoing issues in women's safety and professional protection. The Indian Medical Association urged Prime Minister Modi to improve workplace security for healthcare professionals.

Junior doctors in India remained off duty on Sunday, demanding justice for a colleague who was raped and murdered, even after their 24-hour strike ended called by India's largest doctors' association.

Doctors across the nation have held protests and candlelight marches, refusing to treat non-emergency patients after the 31-year-old chest medicine postgraduate student was killed on Aug. 9 in Kolkata. Women activists say this incident at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital exposes ongoing safety issues for women in India, despite tougher laws post-2012's Delhi bus gang-rape.

The victim's father said the solidarity from doctors gave him strength. Despite changes in the criminal justice system, campaigners argue that real deterrents against violence toward women are still lacking.

The Indian Medical Association, which ended its strike on Sunday, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement security protocols equivalent to airports' for hospital staff, pointing out that 60% of India's doctors are women. "All healthcare professionals deserve a peaceful, safe, and secure workplace," the IMA wrote to Modi.

However, in Gujarat, more than 6,000 trainee doctors at government hospitals continued to boycott non-emergency services for a third day. "We have decided to continue our protest to press for our demands," said Dr. Dhaval Gameti, head of the Junior Doctors' Association at B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad.

The government urged doctors to return to combat rising dengue and malaria cases, with a committee set up to suggest protective measures for healthcare workers. Despite most doctors resuming normal activities, junior doctors and interns in Bhubaneswar continued their demonstration. "There is significant pressure due to reduced manpower," said Dr. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Protests and rallies continued at R.G. Kar Medical College for over a week. Authorities banned assemblies of five or more people around the hospital, with police deployed in riot gear to prevent disturbances. Reporters saw no protesting doctors at their usual site on Sunday due to rain.