Tripura Doctors Join IMA’s Nationwide Protest, Demands Safety for Medical Professionals and Justice for RG Kar Hospital Rape-Murder Victim

The protest led to a complete shutdown of outpatient services as doctors gathered in large numbers

In a powerful display of solidarity and outrage, doctors across Tripura, under the banner of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Tripura State Branch, suspended all outdoor medical activities on Saturday to protest the rape and murder of a female intern PG doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata—a horrific incident that has sent shockwaves across the medical community nationwide, and demand justice for her.

In Agartala, doctors from various hospitals joined the protest, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced security measures in medical institutions to protect healthcare professionals. The protest led to a complete shutdown of outpatient services as doctors gathered in large numbers, holding placards and voicing their demand for justice and improved safety standards within hospitals.

The IMA Tripura State Branch stated that this suspension of services was necessary to draw attention to the critical need for systemic changes in hospital security infrastructure.

The protesters asserted that the crime at RG Kar Hospital is a wake-up call, and their action is not only a response to the loss of a colleague but also a stand for the safety and dignity of every healthcare worker in India.

The doctors’ demands were clear – immediate and stringent action against those responsible for the RG Kar Hospital incident, and a comprehensive review of safety protocols in medical institutions across the country.

“We demand that the perpetrators of this crime be brought to justice without delay,” one protesting doctor stated. “But beyond that, we need assurance from the government that such incidents will not be repeated. There must be stronger security protocols in place, and anyone found guilty must face the harshest penalties.”

Another said, “We’re establishing our solidarity with the IMA and protesting for the protection of healthcare workers. We are also advocating for the Central Protection Act, which was introduced in 2022 but has not yet been implemented. We are demanding the right of healthcare workers to be protected.”
The protest in Tripura is part of a broader nationwide movement within the medical community, calling for urgent reforms and accountability in the wake of the RG Kar Hospital tragedy.

While the suspension of services was a symbolic act intended to highlight the vulnerability of healthcare professionals and pressurize authorities into taking concrete actions, emergency services, including surgeries, continued to operate.

As the protest unfolded, many patients and their families, though affected by the suspension of services, expressed their support for the doctors’ cause, acknowledging the critical need for safer working conditions for those who dedicate their lives to saving others.

The doctors concluded their protest with a resolution to continue their advocacy for better security measures until tangible changes are implemented. The tragic incident at RG Kar Hospital has not only united the medical community in grief but has also ignited a movement demanding justice and safety for all healthcare workers in India.

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