New Delhi: The aftermath of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital in August sparked a devastating doctors’ strike, leading to the loss of 23 lives, according to senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government in the Supreme court.
The bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took suo motu cognizance of the case. The supreme court is now grappling with the aftermath of the tragedy, scrutinising the West Bengal government’s response and the progress of the investigation.
The Centre has appealed to the court to intervene, highlighting the alleged lack of cooperation from the state government in providing logistical support to the CISF, tasked with securing the hospital.
The investigation, initially handled by the Kolkata Police, faced delays and criticism for its sluggishness. The Calcutta High Court stepped in, transferring the case to the CBI on August 13. However, nearly a month into the CBI’s probe, only one arrest has been made and the investigation has been hampered by missing evidence, according to a CBI official aware of the case.
The Supreme Court, in its efforts to address the wider issue of doctor safety, established a National Task Force to develop protocols for ensuring the security of healthcare workers across the country. The court also urged striking doctors to return to work, recognising the critical role they play in providing medical care.
The investigation in the case had brought the ex-principal of the college under radar as the investigating agencies have accused him of corruption at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
