Kolkata Doctor Death Case: Amid the probe into the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, the father of the deceased victim has expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over their handling of the case. He also said they had not yet interacted with the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh. "We have not been able to speak with him. The day the incident occurred, he called us but the students told us not to go. He came there (incident spot) but he did not speak with us," said the father.
The father voiced frustration with the progress of the CBI investigation, stating, "CBI is one of the biggest agencies of the country. But they have not yielded a good result so far in the 10 days that they have taken over the case. We demand that they take action at the earliest and there be strict punishment."
Asked whether they will petition the Supreme Court over alleged irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, he said, "We will approach... if needed. We have not made any decision yet."
Meanwhile, the TMC also slammed the CBI probe with leader Kunal Ghosh telling news agency PTI, "Today, in the court, we had an expectation that CBI will clearly tell about the plot and the accused. But today, we got nothing from CBI, which is an unnatural delay. Within 12 hours, the Kolkata Police had arrested one of the accused, but after the case was handed over to CBI, not a single arrest... neither there is any clear clarification on the plot."
Resident Doctors Across India Resume Work After 11-Day Strike Over Kolkata Doctor's Death
In West Bengal, a delegation of junior doctors from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital visited the CBI Special Crime Branch at the CGO complex in Salt Lake to meet with CBI officers.
In a significant development, resident doctors across India resumed work on Friday after an 11-day strike prompted by the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The strike, which began on August 12, had led to a halt in non-emergency services including OPD and diagnostics, causing significant disruptions to patient care.
Following an appeal from the Supreme Court, which urged healthcare professionals to return to work, resident doctors from various institutions, including AIIMS, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, LNJP, Maulana Azad Medical College, GTB Hospital, and Indira Gandhi Hospital, resumed their duties, PTI reported. The Supreme Court had also directed that no coercive action would be taken against medics and emphasised that both judges and doctors should not strike due to their critical roles in life and liberty.
Dr Ayush Raj, General Secretary of Safdarjung Hospital's Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), stated, "We have resumed work, but we have not stopped fighting for our demands... we are still in silent protest." He added that Delhi-based RDA members would organise a symbolic protest later this week.
Dr Dhruv Chauhan, National Council Member of the IMA-Junior Doctors Network, echoed this sentiment, saying, "We are in silent protest doing our duties as before but still waiting for justice and the assurances that are given", as quoted by PTI.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) announced the end of the strike following the Supreme Court's intervention on the safety of healthcare personnel. However, in West Bengal, where the protests originated, junior doctors have continued their strike, leaving healthcare services at state-run hospitals disrupted.
Aman Khanna, a resident doctor at GTB Hospital in Delhi, commented, "I'm glad to return to work with the hope that our demands will be fulfilled and justice will be served. We are closely observing the decisions the government is making for us", PTI reported.