NEW DELHI: During a hearing concerning the rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the West Bengal government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that 23 individuals have lost their lives due to the ongoing doctors’ strike. The strike was initiated in protest of the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, presented a status report prepared by the state health department to a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. “A status report has been filed. The state health department has filed a report. Tweny-three people have died as doctors are on strike,” Sibal told the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
Previously, on August 22, the Supreme Court had strongly criticized the Kolkata Police for the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor who was raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. The court described the situation as “extremely disturbing” and raised questions about the sequence of events and the timing of the procedural formalities.
In the last hearing, the West Bengal government was asked by the top court to file a report on its investigation into the August 14 incident of vandalism and violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Supreme Court had also established a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to develop a protocol aimed at ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Expressing its outrage over the incident, which it termed as “horrific”, the Supreme Court came down hard on the Bengal government for the delay in filing the FIR and for allowing thousands of people to vandalize the state-run facility.
The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor, whose body was discovered with severe injury marks inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department on August 9, has triggered nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
On August 13, the Calcutta high court ordered the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, presented a status report prepared by the state health department to a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. “A status report has been filed. The state health department has filed a report. Tweny-three people have died as doctors are on strike,” Sibal told the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
Previously, on August 22, the Supreme Court had strongly criticized the Kolkata Police for the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor who was raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. The court described the situation as “extremely disturbing” and raised questions about the sequence of events and the timing of the procedural formalities.
In the last hearing, the West Bengal government was asked by the top court to file a report on its investigation into the August 14 incident of vandalism and violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Supreme Court had also established a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to develop a protocol aimed at ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Expressing its outrage over the incident, which it termed as “horrific”, the Supreme Court came down hard on the Bengal government for the delay in filing the FIR and for allowing thousands of people to vandalize the state-run facility.
The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor, whose body was discovered with severe injury marks inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department on August 9, has triggered nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
On August 13, the Calcutta high court ordered the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
