Top court declares India is outraged by the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata.
Physicians from all over India have voiced their opposition to the 31-year-old woman's rape and death.
The horrific rape and killing of a trainee doctor in West Bengal state, according to India's top court, "astonished the moral standards of the nation" and chastised the government for how they handled the inquiry. The body of the 31-year-old woman was discovered earlier this month in the lecture room of the state-run hospital where she was employed in Kolkata. The Central Bureau of Investigation has assumed control of the case after a hospital volunteer was detained in relation to the incident. The nation has seen massive protests in response to the crime.
The case was heard by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Tuesday, and she issued an order to establish a National Task Force (NTF) to recommend workplace safety measures for healthcare workers.
He enumerated other issues that medical facilities face, such as a dearth of restrooms and rest areas, broken CCTV cameras, guards at the doors, and insufficient arm screening.
Top doctors and government officials would be on the task group, which was mandated by the court to investigate the matter and submit a wrap-up paper in two months and a preliminary report in three weeks.
The CJI asked why there was an extension in filing the first data report (FIR), or dispute, in this case and criticized the West Bengal government and police force throughout the hearing. The fact that the identity of the victim and pictures were circulated on social media, he continued, "deeply concerned" According to Indian law, it is illegal to identify a rape victim, and offenders face fines or sentences of up to two years in jail.
The court additionally inquired about why adequate safety precautions hadn't been implemented to stop the assault and denounced the attack on RG Kar Medical College, the scene of the assault.
Tens of thousands of women took part in last week's Reclaim the Night rally, following which a mob damaged the hospital's emergency department. The top justice declared, "The state should not be allowed to unleash its power on peaceful protestors." India has seen a wave of fury following the woman's death, particularly in Kolkata, the capital of the West Bengal state.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a nationwide strike, which was observed over the weekend by physicians working in Indian hospitals. All outpatient procedures and elective surgeries were discontinued, and big hospitals were the only places to access emergency care.
The IMA released a list of requests, which included making safe rest areas available, stepping up security at hospitals, and fortifying the law to better shield medical personnel from assault. The West Bengal state administration, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been charged of mishandling the murder's aftermath, which has further ignited a political dispute over the issue.
Representatives of the state's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs India, have said that Ms. Banerjee's administration is repressing nonviolent protesters. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was given the case by the Kolkata High Court last week after it accused the local police of failing to follow protocol.
The doctor's parents, who turned down financial assistance from the state, have accused the medical college administration of neglecting to provide a safe working environment. They informed the local media that they no longer trusted the chief minister and that they thought she was trying to quell popular indignation. Ms. Banerjee has defended the government's conduct, claiming that 90% of the inquiry had been finished by state police before it was turned over to the CBI. She has further charged opposing parties with taking political advantage of the incident.
Ms. Banerjee demanded that the criminals be executed and that she wanted the probe to be finished as soon as possible. The state administration unveiled a plethora of initiatives on Saturday to ensure the security of women while working, including "safe zones" at state-run hospitals that are monitored by CCTV and dedicated leaving areas.
More than 200 students, activists, and supporters of political parties have also received notifications from the Kolkata police for allegedly disseminating "false info" concerning the incident and disclosing the victim's identify.
