In a latest development amid the massive outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old om-duty junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Mediacla College and Hospital on August 9, agitating junior doctors who have been on the streets for over 50 days demanding justice, called off their 'total cease work' on Friday evening. However, the doctors have threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours.
'We will work and continue out stir: Junior doctors after calling off ceasework
"We are calling off our 'total cease work' and returning to duties. But we will continue our sit-in protest. We will give the state administration 24 hours to fulfill our demands or else we will start a hunger strike till death," an agitating doctor, Debasish Halder of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, said.
"Today, we called off our 'cease work' around 8.30 pm. So, we will wait till 8.30 pm tomorrow to see whether the state government takes any step or not," another agitating doctor Aniket Mahato said.
"... We are planning for a bigger demonstration as we will continue sitting at Dorina Crossing. We will work and simultaneously continue our stir. We are carrying this clock to keep a track of every minute and every hour and in case our demands are not fulfilled, we will sit for a hunger strike until death," Halder said.
Police lathi-charged on doctors
The junior doctors on Friday evening began a sit-in at a crucial junction in central Kolkata's Esplanade area alleging police lathi-charged a few of them during a rally minutes before calling off the ceasework.
"Two of our colleagues waiting near a road (in Esplanade) for us were beaten up by the police. We do not know the reason. We were conducting a peaceful rally here and had permission to hold a press conference here. We protest this attitude of the policemen. Police have to apologise, else we will continue with our demonstration," one of the junior doctors said.
Justice, centralised system, elections: Agitating doctors' demands
Holding a rally from the SSKM Hospital to Esplanade, the medics underscored that justice for the deceased doctor continued to be on top of their demands while among the other nine demands, they called for the immediate removal of state Health Secretary N S Nigam and the health department to take responsibility for administrative incompetence and corruption.
They also demanded the setting up of a centralized referral system at all hospitals and medical colleges in the state besides a digital bed vacancy monitoring system, constituting task forces to ensure necessary arrangements for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms.
"Elections for student councils must be conducted immediately in every medical college. All colleges must recognise Resident Doctors' Association (RDA). And the elected representation of students and junior doctors must be ensured in all committees managing colleges and hospitals," Halder said.
Sandip Ghosh sent to judicial remand
A court on Friday sent arrested ex-principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, and now-suspended police officer Abhijit Mondal to 14-day judicial custody.
CBI on Friday claimed that Ghosh had conspired with Mondal to suppress the incident of rape and murder of an on-duty woman medic at the hospital and cited findings of the forensic tests conducted on the mobile phone devices of the duo.
Arrested doc Ashish Pandey sent to CBI custody
Besides sending Ghosh to judicial remand, a special CBI court also sent another doctor, Ashish Pandey, to three-day custody of the central agency till October 7.
According to the central probe agency, Pandey was one of Ghosh's "trusted soldiers" who had been threatening students and accepting bribes to arrange for assignments, sources said.
It also claimed that Pandey, arrested for alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital, was "unfit to be a house staff" and was backed by Ghosh to be in that position.CBI also claimed that Pandey was allegedly running a "sex racket" at RG Kar Hospital, the sources in the agency said.
