The Supreme Court is to hear the shocking case of a postgraduate trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata today, 30,2024. This is after the Calcutta High Court on September 26 ordered the state government to submit an affidavit to answer serious allegations in a plea related to the case. After the court judgment, junior doctors will decide whether to resume their work.

Allegation Of A Threat Culture

The petitioners in this case have risen with alarming concerns about the so-called “threat culture” within state government-run medical colleges and hospitals. They here contend mass problems such as selling examination keys, bribery, corruption, and sexual harassment and abuse of medical students and junior doctors. The court has recognized the seriousness of these allegations and has held that if even a part of them was true, the court would take them seriously.

Junior Doctors Step Out To demand Justice

Reacting to this tragic incident, junior doctors in West Bengal took out torch rallies in other districts demanding justice for the murder of the young trainee doctor. The rallies were held at several places including Monday at Sundarban Port Canning Town, Diamond Harbour, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri. In many places the junior doctors, along with hospital staff, called for justice and effective safety measures in state-run health services.

The rallies are organized by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front and put pressure on the state government to dismantle the “culture of threat” reported to be threatening students at medical colleges. Along with demanding justice, junior doctors also want more stringent security measures in place, especially after the recent violence.

Investigations Continue And Security On Standby

Such was the ghastly murder by rape on August 9 that a trainee was found raped and killed in a seminar hall of the very same hospital. The situation further worsened when a mob vandalized the emergency department of the hospital following the decision of the High Court to transfer the investigation from Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation, popularly known as CBI. The Kolkata Police Commissioner, Manoj Verma, recently visited the medical college to assess its security arrangements and interaction with the police officers posted in the emergency.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said that they will take a call depending on what happens with the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court. They are prepared to intensify complete ‘cease work’ protest if the state government can’t give assurance that junior doctors will be safe during the course of the ongoing court process. Junior doctor Aniket Mahato said, “The government should provide us with basic facilities,” as he identified safety of medical men as a major priority.

The Supreme Court will be hearing this very important case, and the future of medical security in West Bengal is balanced between legislative intent and popular sentiment calling for reform and justice.