West Bengal: LGBTQIA+ community stages protest over Kolkata rape-murder

Kolkata (West Bengal) [Inda], August 17 (ANI): Amid widespread outrage and demands for justice following the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, members of the LGBTQIA+ community staged a protest here on Saturday, demanding justice for the victim.

A member of the trans community told ANI that the police attempted to disrupt their peaceful protest.

“We want to hold a peaceful protest against the rape and murder of the RG Kar Hospital doctor. But the police are trying to stop our protest. However, our protest will continue and move forward. Anyone who is against rape can join this protest,” another member of the Trans community told ANI.

Another member of the trans community told ANI, “I have come here to protest against whatever has happened, it is injustice for the girl…When the girl was raped and everyone was protesting on the roads no legislature had come out…When the public is in the problem they should have come…Rape is an unpardonable crime.”

The rape and murder of the trainee doctor have sparked outrage across the nation, drawing reactions from people from all walks of life.

Earlier today, Junior doctors and medical students held protests at Mangalagiri AIIMS Hospital and Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College. West Bengal Congress workers also rallied against the incident, while ABVP workers protested against the TMC government of West Bengal.

In response, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine starting from 6 am on Saturday, August 17 to 6 am Sunday, August 18.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) National President Dr Asokan on Saturday said that the time is ripe for PM Narendra Modi’s intervention into the rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata adding that they will be writing to the Prime Minister.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has declared a 24-hour withdrawal of services by all the modern medicine doctors of the country, irrespective of the sector and place of work, in response to nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a second-year trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

While emergencies and casualties will function, the IMA said that OPDs or elective surgeries will be suspended from 6 am on Saturday till 6 am on Sunday, August 18, 2024.

On August 14, a mob of between 5,000 and 7,000 people, including several individuals, invaded RG Kar Hospital, attacked protesting doctors and medical students, and attempted to ransack the premises, forcing security officials to disperse the crowd.

On August 16, Kolkata police said they had arrested 19 miscreants allegedly involved in the mob violence at the hospital premises.

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, triggering nationwide protests by doctors and medical professionals.