Junior doctors in West Bengal have accused the police of assaulting them during a rally demanding justice for a deceased colleague from RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. The demonstration began with a sit-in at Dharmatala in central Kolkata, where the doctors claimed they were peacefully protesting when several of their peers were attacked by law enforcement.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video on X, alleging that the West Bengal Police “brutally assaulted” the protesting doctors. He described the situation as “deeply troubling,” stating that postgraduate trainee doctors were kicked by individuals claiming to be police officers, despite not being in uniform. He also warned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be held accountable for any unfortunate incidents during Durga Puja.
This recent unrest follows a previous 42-day strike initiated in August after the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital, which concluded on September 21 following negotiations with state officials. However, protests resumed on October 1 after another attack on doctors by a patient’s family at a different state-run hospital. The junior doctors rallied from SSKM Hospital in Bhowanipore to Dharmatala.
While the junior doctors have called off their “total cease work” at state-run medical colleges and hospitals, they have threatened to initiate a hunger strike if their demands are not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours. Debasish Halder, a doctor from Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, stated, “We are calling off our ‘total cease work,’ but we will continue our sit-in protest. We will give the state administration 24 hours to fulfill our demands or else we will start a hunger strike till death.”
