‘Police watched as mob attacked’: West Bengal doctors demand action from President, PM in a 4-page letter

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) penned a four-page letter to President Murmu, which was also copied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Health Minister JP Nadda.

Junior doctors in West Bengal have reached out to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention to resolve the impasse surrounding the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) penned a four-page letter to President Murmu, which was also copied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Health Minister JP Nadda. The letter detailed a series of recent attacks on the hospital campus, including vandalism and ransacking by a mob. The violence, which followed the tragic incident on August 9, has led to an extended strike by healthcare professionals in the region.

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"We humbly place the issues before your esteemed excellency, as the head of state, so that our unfortunate colleague who has been the victim of the most despicable crime shall receive justice, and so that we, the healthcare professionals under the West Bengal Health Department, may be able to discharge our duties to the public without fear and apprehension," the letter stated.

The doctors' agitation began after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, igniting widespread outrage and prompting solidarity marches across West Bengal on August 15. The protests have been marked by increased violence, with a mob recently storming RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. "It was under such odd hours that an unapprehended mob barged unabated into the premises of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, ransacked the hospital campus, vandalised the Emergency department, tore through the make-shift protest site, and attempted to further destroy the sanctity of the alleged place of occurrence, threatening to do away with whatever evidence was left," the letter detailed.

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The doctors accused the state police of being passive during the attack, describing the atmosphere as one of "fear, distrust, and hopelessness." In response, they have been organizing medical camps under the Abhaya Clinics initiative to continue providing healthcare services to the public.

Despite numerous attempts to resolve the situation, talks with the West Bengal government have been unsuccessful for the past three days. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee even offered to resign, citing frustrations with the deadlock. "I know many in the delegation were interested in talks. But two of three people were given instructions from outside. We have seen all that," Banerjee said. She added that the delay was due to the doctors’ demand for a live telecast of the meeting, which the government refused, citing legal constraints. "The matter is sub judice, certain protocols must be followed," she explained.

Banerjee also expressed her commitment to justice for the victim and apologised to the people of West Bengal for the ongoing impasse. "I wanted the victim to get justice and I apologise to the people of West Bengal for the continued deadlock."