Kolkata: Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College, has resigned as junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day. The protest was sparked by the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the facility.
The striking medical staff had demanded Dr. Ghosh’s resignation, alleging his failure to ensure safety at the institution. Ghosh, speaking to reporters, expressed his distress over the situation, stating that he was being "defamed on social media" and that the victim was "like my daughter." He said his resignation was a gesture of solidarity as a parent, emphasizing that such an incident should not occur again.
The ongoing strike has severely impacted hospital operations, with outdoor patient centers at RG Kar Medical College remaining closed. Initially, junior doctors were covering emergency duties, but by Monday morning, they had ceased even those responsibilities.
The trainee doctor was discovered with injury marks in a seminar hall at the medical college. An autopsy confirmed that she had been raped and murdered. A civic volunteer has been arrested and is currently in 14-day police custody in connection with the crime.
The Kolkata Police's detective department is set to question three doctors and one housekeeping staff member who were on duty on the night of August 9, the night the trainee doctor’s body was found. These individuals had been in contact with the victim prior to the incident.
The tragic event has ignited protests across West Bengal and other states. In response, doctors from ten government hospitals in Delhi, including Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, have joined the strike, suspending all elective services. They are demanding a CBI inquiry into the incident and enhanced security measures for medical practitioners.
Emergency services at the affected hospitals continue, but outpatient departments remain closed due to the strike.
Input from PTI