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The tragic Kolkata incident involving the assault and murder of a doctor has deeply unsettled the nation. In response, healthcare professionals across the country have joined an IMA-led 24-hour withdrawal of medical services, from Saturday morning until Sunday. Amid the growing public outcry over this horrific crime, the IMA has called for a nationwide strike, during which routine outpatient care and elective surgeries will be suspended, while emergency services remain operational. Doctors at major Delhi hospitals, including Guru Teg Bahadur, Ram Manohar Lohia, and DDU, alongside AIIMS, have continued their protest, leading to the suspension of outpatient services. Similarly, all government and private hospitals in Jharkhand are participating in the strike, and medical organizations in Ranchi have planned a march. The Assam Medical College and Hospital, the oldest in the Northeast, has seen a sit-in protest by doctors. In Chennai, outpatient departments in both public and private hospitals have been affected by the boycott protest. The IMA's Chandigarh unit has also suspended outpatient services and organized a protest march.
In response to the concerning working conditions and safety issues faced by resident doctors in India, the country's largest medical association, the IMA, has initiated a nationwide protest. The IMA has put forth a comprehensive list of demands, including the implementation of a central law to protect healthcare workers from violence, and the establishment of hospital premises as secure zones with enhanced security measures, such as CCTVS and increased personnel. Key student organizations, including the All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA) and the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), have joined the nationwide strike, which comes on the heels of protests against the alleged mishandling of a recent horrific rape and murder case involving a medical student. Doctors at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place, have accused the police and the ruling government of attempting to cover up the case and shield the accused.
The federal investigative agency, acting on a directive from the Calcutta High Court, has taken up the case. "We've pinpointed around 30 potential suspects and have commenced interrogating them," stated a representative of the investigative body on Friday.
