The Supreme Court on Sunday (August 18, 2024) took suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud is scheduled to hear the case, instituted on the court’s own motion, on Tuesday (August 20, 2024).
The apex court’s suo motu intervention follows an August 13 order of the Calcutta High Court transferring the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Kolkata Police. The police had arrested a civic volunteer in the case.
The matter would be called for hearing on the top of the board of cases listed for the day before the Bench.
The body of the doctor was allegedly found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. It was reported that post-mortem and inquest reports revealed horrifying details of extensive injuries.
On August 14, the protest site and parts of the R.G. Kar Hospital were vandalised by a mob, prompting nationwide agitations by doctors. The High Court had pulled up the West Bengal machinery for the incident of violence against the protesting doctors.
In its August 13 order, the High Court had expressed “surprise” at why the hospital authorities, including the principal, had not lodged a complaint. The High Court acknowledged the apprehensions of the victim’s parents that evidence may likely be destroyed.
“There has been no significant progress in the investigation. The administration was not with the victim or her family. The principal has not even given a statement... Therefore we transfer the investigation to the CBI to do justice between parties and to inspire public confidence,” the High Court Bench led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam had ordered.
On Sunday morning, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest national group representing doctors, ended its 24-hour strike and said that it had formed a committee to present a “safety document” to the Union Health Ministry.
“The document which will be ready by later this week will include the road map to make healthcare institutes safe for employees,’’ said the association’s nation president R.V. Asokan speaking to The Hindu.
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He added that while the IMA has called off the strike, they will support the decision of the Resident Doctors’ Association to continue the agitation, if necessary. “They are the soldiers on the ground, and we will support them if they want to continue the agitation,” he said.
The Health Ministry on Saturday had appealed to the agitating doctors to resume their duties in the larger public interest and in view of the rising cases of dengue and malaria. It also assured doctors that a committee will be formed to suggest all possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals.
Extending their support to agitating doctors, over 70 Padma awardee doctors wrote and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his urgent intervention to ensure safety of healthcare employees at workplace.
In their letter, the group said that they are concerned and anguished regarding the horrific events that recently occurred at R.G. Kar Medical College.
“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victim’s family and extend our full support to the medical community, who are increasingly confronting such violence in the course of their work. The safety and dignity of healthcare professionals must be safeguarded with utmost priority,’’ they said.
In their letter, the doctors emphasised the need for law enforcement agencies to more rigorously apply current legal frameworks to protect healthcare professionals, enforce severe and swift penalties to serve as a deterrent against such crimes, enhance safety measures in hospitals and medical institutions, and enact and implement a special law for the protection of healthcare workers.
“Let this tragedy serve as a catalyst for real, lasting change. We earnestly appeal to you through this letter to safeguard the medical profession against physical assaults and defacement of the dignity and respect of all healthcare workers,’’ the group said.
