People from diverse backgrounds took part in a 20-km-long protest march on Saturday, demanding justice for a woman doctor who was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal. The protest, which included doctors and members of the civil society, began in Sodepur, North 24 Parganas district, and was set to conclude at Esplanade in central Kolkata. Esplanade has become the focal point of an ongoing hunger strike, where junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death for the past 15 days, demanding justice for the victim and pressing for reforms in the state’s healthcare system.
The participants chanted slogans seeking justice for the woman doctor, whose body was discovered on August 9 after she was brutally raped and murdered within the hospital premises. The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage across the state. The protesting junior doctors at Esplanade are calling for comprehensive changes in the healthcare infrastructure to prevent such incidents in the future. Despite repeated appeals from the government, they remain on hunger strike, drawing attention to the dire need for reform.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the protesting doctors to end their strike, promising that their demands would be addressed by the government. However, the hunger strike and protests continue, with participants demanding concrete action and justice for the victim.