Doctors to Withdraw Services Nationwide in Protest Over Trainee Doctor’s Rape-Murder

GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 16th August. Doctors across India will withdraw their services from 6 am on Saturday, August 17, to 6 am on Sunday, August 18, according to an official statement from the Indian Medical Association (IMA). This nationwide strike has been called in response to ongoing protests in Kolkata over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

The IMA’s statement outlined that routine outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries will be suspended during the 24-hour period. However, essential services, including emergency care, will continue. The IMA emphasized the necessity of the strike and sought public sympathy for the cause of its members.

In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) announced a protest scheduled for August 16 at Azad Maidan. The demonstration, set to begin at 1 pm, will involve medical professionals and student groups in a peaceful show of solidarity against the recent violence. MARD urged participation from doctors, medical students, and various medical associations.

The protests have also seen support from the Bengali film and television industry, which has joined the demonstrators at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The incident, which occurred on August 9, involved the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The brutal attack has sparked widespread protests, and recent vandalism at the protest site has further intensified the situation.