Hospitals and clinics across India were largely closed on Saturday, except for emergency services, as medical professionals observed a 24-hour strike to protest the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata.
Over one million doctors were anticipated to join the strike, disrupting medical services nationwide. Hospitals had to rely on faculty staff from medical colleges to handle emergency cases.
The strike, which began at 6 am, suspended elective procedures and outpatient consultations, according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The protest was triggered by the violent assault and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor last week at the Kolkata medical college where she worked. This incident has sparked nationwide outrage among doctors and has been compared to the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of a student in New Delhi.
At RG Kar Medical College, where the crime occurred, a heavy police presence was noted as the hospital grounds remained empty, according to ANI news agency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee supported the protests and called for a swift and severe punishment for those responsible.
In Kolkata, numerous private clinics and diagnostic centers were shut, with Dr. Sandip Saha, a local pediatrician, stating that he would only see emergency cases.
The strike extended to other cities including Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, and Chennai, marking one of the largest disruptions to hospital services in recent memory.
In Odisha, patients crowded hospitals, and senior doctors were under increased pressure due to the strike, as reported by Dr. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bhubaneswar.
Some patients, unaware of the strike, were left stranded. “I spent 500 rupees on travel and now have to go back without treatment,” said a patient at SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack.
India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the case, having already questioned several medical students from RG Kar College and the hospital’s principal.
Despite previous reforms following the Delhi gang-rape, campaigners argue that violence against women persists, fueling protests by doctors and women’s groups.
IMA President RV Asokan called for stronger legal protections for healthcare workers and a prompt investigation into the Kolkata crime. Senior criminal lawyer Shobha Gupta echoed the need for severe punishment and effective legal action.
