Kolkata rape, murder: Junior doctors take out mega protest march demanding justice

Thousands of junior doctors, joined by people from all walks of life, took out a mega protest march in Kolkata yesterday demanding justice for a medic who was raped and murdered at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August.

The protest march, organised by the Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, began at College Street and ended in Esplanade area, marking a fresh escalation of the doctors' ongoing agitation for improved safety measures for healthcare workers, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The rally, one of the largest demonstrations in recent weeks, attracted a diverse mix of participants, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and concerned citizens.

"We are not in a 'Puja' or 'Utsav' mood and we will continue protesting on the streets till our sister gets justice. We have chosen this day of Mahalaya to send out this message," said one of the protesters who identified herself as a colleague of the deceased.

Carrying placards and national flags, the protesters raised slogans asserting they would not rest until justice was served. The march comes amid doctors' "cease-work" stir in hospitals in protest against the rape and murder of their colleague.

As the rally concluded at Esplanade, leaders of the Bengal Junior Doctors' Front vowed to continue their agitation until the government took definitive action.

"We will not give up. This is about our safety, our dignity, and justice for the deceased doctor," a protesting doctor said.

"We will not give up. This is about our safety, our dignity and justice… The government cannot expect us to remain silent while they do nothing," said an agitating junior doctor while addressing the crowd.

Despite the festive air in the city as people prepared for the upcoming Durga Puja, protesters maintained that the movement for justice overshadowed celebrations.

"Today is the 52nd day of our protest, and we are still facing attacks. There is no positive response from the state government toward meeting our safety and security demands," said Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors.

Although the doctors had partially resumed services after 42 days of the strike, they went back to 'cease-work' since Tuesday, alleging that key demands such as enhanced safety measures for medical staff were not implemented.