Junior Doctors End 41-Day Strike, Resume Essential Services Amid Kolkata Rape-Murder Case Investigation

Kolkata: Junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital have announced they will resume essential services starting September 21. After a 41-day strike, they called off the protest to support flood relief efforts but plan to continue pressuring authorities for justice.

Rally for Swift CBI Action

Doctors will hold a rally tomorrow at 3 PM, marching from Swasthya Bhawan to the CBI office, urging the CBI to expedite the investigation into the rape and murder case.

“We will resume our duties on Saturday, but protests will continue at dharna sites across medical colleges. All essential services will be fully operational,” one of the protesting doctors stated.

Ongoing Talks with the West Bengal Government

The decision follows a meeting on Thursday where junior doctors submitted a draft outlining their demands to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant.

They await a formal response from the state government. The second round of discussions, led by Pant, took place at the state secretariat, Nabanna, with a delegation of 30 junior doctors. The first round occurred earlier at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat.

Protests Against Healthcare Corruption and Tragedy

West Bengal has seen widespread protests after the shocking rape and murder of the trainee doctor, with allegations of corruption within the state’s healthcare system adding fuel to the unrest.