Anger over the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in eastern India continued to escalate on Friday, as medical professionals called for one of the largest hospital shutdowns in recent history, and political parties prepared for protests.
The incident involved a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered last week at a medical college in Kolkata, sparking nationwide outrage among doctors and drawing comparisons to the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi.
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On Thursday night, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country’s largest medical organization, announced a 24-hour nationwide shutdown of most hospital departments, excluding essential services, starting Saturday morning. This strike is the largest of its kind in at least a decade.
“Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence due to the nature of the profession. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety of doctors within hospitals and on campuses,” the IMA stated on X late Thursday.
Political parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the opposition in West Bengal, where Kolkata is located, announced plans to hold protests in the city on Friday.
The crime has shocked Bollywood actors, celebrities, and politicians, who are demanding harsher penalties for those who commit crimes against women.
A police volunteer employed at the hospital has been arrested and charged with the crime.
Doctors argue that the circumstances surrounding the rape highlight the vulnerability of medical professionals who lack adequate protection and resources.
Despite sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system and tougher sentencing laws introduced after the Delhi gang rape, campaigners argue that little has changed in terms of preventing such crimes.
