Indian doctors are staging widespread protests following the tragic rape and murder of a 31-year-old female medical resident, highlighting the ongoing struggle with gender-based violence and the inadequate protection of women in India. This incident, which occurred on August 9 at a medical school in Kolkata, has sparked demonstrations that have spread beyond West Bengal to other states and even reached the capital, New Delhi.
The victim's death is the latest in a series of high-profile gender-based violence cases that have drawn national attention. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, reported rape cases in India surged by 20% in 2022 compared to the previous year, underscoring a troubling rise in sexual violence. Despite the Indian government's efforts to tighten laws against such violence—particularly after the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder case in Delhi—systemic issues persist, as demonstrated by this most recent tragedy.
In response, thousands of doctors across India, including many women, have joined the protests, with some estimates suggesting that hundreds of thousands have participated. On a national scale, doctors have engaged in a 24-hour strike, refusing to see non-emergency patients and setting up limited free care services as part of their demonstration. Despite government pressure to return to work, these doctors are standing firm in their demands for better safety measures and justice for their colleague.
Political leaders have responded with calls for justice. During his Independence Day speech on August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need to urgently address crimes against women, though he did not directly mention the Kolkata case. Meanwhile, the investigation into the rape and murder is ongoing, with federal authorities now involved.
The victim, who worked at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was found dead in a seminar room after reportedly falling asleep following a long shift. An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted. A police volunteer, Sanjay Roy, has been arrested and charged with her murder, though the victim’s family believes more individuals were involved. This has fueled the protesters’ demands for a thorough investigation and stronger legal protections for both women and medical professionals.
This tragic event has also reignited discussions about the broader issues of gender-based violence in India. The country has a troubling history of such violence, with religious and ethnic minorities often targeted. One of the most notorious cases involved mass rapes by the Indian military in Kashmir in 1991. More recently, in 2017, an 8-year-old girl was brutally raped and murdered in Jammu, a region marked by government repression. These incidents, along with the current case, illustrate the pervasive nature of gender-based violence in India and the challenges in addressing it.
In light of these issues, doctors and activists are calling for immediate action to ensure the safety and rights of women in India, emphasizing that the fight against gender-based violence must continue until systemic changes are realized.