Kolkata rape-murder: Doctors end sit-in; citizens hold 42-km relay torch rally

The junior doctors in West Bengal ended their 11-day sit-in outside Swasthya Bhavan on Friday and said that a statue of “Abhaya”, the name given to the trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, would be set up in the college.

“We have achieved partial victory. There are still many things to achieve. The threat culture in various medical colleges needs to be uprooted. We are withdrawing the sit-in. We would resume essential services from Saturday,” Debasish Halder, one the striking medics told media, on Friday.

A few thousand junior doctors across West Bengal stopped work after the August 9 incident demanding justice for the victim. They had even started a sit-in outside Swasthya Bhavan last week, defying the deadline set by the Supreme Court for the medics to resume work by 5 pm on September 10.

The state government held talks at least twice with doctors last week and transferred the commissioner of Kolkata Police and a few other Indian Police Service (IPS) and senior health officials. On Thursday, the state issued a set of 10 directives to ensure the safety, security and efficient functioning of the state health care system.

The decision to end the sit-in came after the directives were issued. The doctors, however, said that the cease work in OPDs would continue and even gave a seven-day ultimatum to the government to implement the directives.

“The next hearing of the RG Kar case in the Supreme Court is on September 27. If, by then, the state doesn’t implement the directives, we may again start a full-fledged cease work. We would also install a statue of Abhaya in RG Kar Hospital,” Aniket Mahata, one of the doctors told media persons.

Meanwhile, thousands of citizens held a relay torch rally from Hiland Park to Shyambazar-crossing covering a distance of around 42 km. They were demanding justice for the RG Kar victim.

Young and old, people from all professions, and specially-abled citizens walked along the EM Bypass with flaming torches in the relay rally. If one felt tired, another person would replace him to carry the torch. Those taking part in the rally also included supporters of arch-rival football clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. We want speedy trial and justice. Those guilty should be punished and Abhaya should get justice,” said Gita Samui, a housewife who joined the rally.

Similar rallies - ‘Women, Reclaim the Night’ - have been held in the city since August 14 over the RG Kar incident.

“I have never seen such an apolitical rally in my life. Salute to the junior doctors who started the movement. I couldn’t stop myself and hence came down to take part in the rally,” said Amal Dastidar, a resident of Ajoynagar, who recently retired as a schoolteacher.