Kolkata doctor rape and murder: junior doctors, medical students stage protest at Gandhi statue in Visakhapatnam

Indian doctors protest nationwide against rape and murder of trainee doctor, demanding justice and safety measures for medical fraternity.

Junior doctors and medical students continued to boycott their duties and classes and staged a protest organised, on the call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), at the Gandhi statue near the GVMC here on Saturday, in protest against the rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata.

IMA, Visakhapatnam, and Indian Radiological & Imaging Association (IRIA), Vizag, have already announced the decision to observe a 24-hour strike from 6 a.m. on August 17 by suspending all services, except emergencies, on the call given by the IMA to observe a nationwide strike.

Expressing solidarity with the striking doctors, civil society organisations participated in the protest at the Gandhi statue. Mahila Chetana general secretary K. Padma said that the incident was a reflection of the growing culture of rape and violence in the country and the ‘indifference’ of the rulers, who were promoting such a culture by failing to take prompt and stringent action against rapists and murderers. She demanded that the governments own responsibility for the safety of girls and women in schools, educational institutions and workplaces.

Progressive Organisation of Women (POW) State general secretary M. Lakshmi demanded a judicial inquiry into the heinous crime by a sitting Judge of the High Court

HRF leaders Anuradha and V.S. Krishna and Atheist Society representatives T. Sriramamurthy and Y. Nookaraju were among those who attended.

CPI district general secretary M. Pydiraju demanded that the Centre implement the Central Protection Act and provide protection to doctors. He demanded stringent punishment of the guilty.

The CPI(M) district committee extended its support and solidarity with the doctors, who are agitating for justice. Addressing the participants of the dharna, the party district secretary M. Jaggunaidu demanded stringent punishment of the culprits and justice to the victim’s family members. He expressed serious concern at the lack of safety to doctors, who were toiling day and night to save the lives of the common people.