Supreme Court Urges Protesting Doctors to Resume Duties Amid Kolkata Medic Rape Case

The Supreme Court has urged protesting doctors to return to work in light of the rape and killing of a Kolkata medic. The court emphasized that judges and doctors cannot strike due to their roles in life and liberty. Assurance was given that no coercive action would be taken against the doctors for past protests.

The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its appeal to the doctors protesting over the rape and killing of a Kolkata medic to resume work and directed no coercive action against them.

The court stated that judges and doctors cannot go on strike as they deal with critical matters involving life and liberty. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasized, "Justice and medicine cannot afford to be stopped. Can we (judges) go and sit outside the Supreme Court now?"

The court was hearing a suo-motu case related to the tragic assault and killing of a post-graduate medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

During the hearing, a counsel for the resident doctors of AIIMS Nagpur reported that protesting doctors were being marked absent and barred from exams. The bench responded that it couldn't direct the administration to mark present those who were absent but assured a lenient view if duties were resumed immediately.

The Delhi Medical Association disclosed that FIRs were lodged against certain AIIMS doctors involved in protests. The bench insisted on the urgent need for doctors to return to work to prevent patients from marginalized sections from suffering.

Reaffirming their promise to protect doctors' safety, the supreme bench noted that national interest prompted them to take the matter out of the high court's jurisdiction.

The horrific incident has generated nationwide protests, with the medic's body bearing severe injury marks found in the hospital on August 9. The subsequent arrest of a Kolkata Police civic volunteer and the transfer of the case to the CBI underscore the gravity of the situation.