Northeast Desk, August 17, 2024 — In solidarity with the nationwide protest called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), doctors and hospital staff in Tripura halted outpatient department (OPD) services on Saturday, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
The IMA Tripura State Branch directed all private and government medical establishments to suspend non-essential services from 6 AM on August 17 to 6 AM on August 18. Emergency services continued to operate as usual.
Statewide, healthcare professionals staged demonstrations, condemning the violent incident and calling for the arrest of the perpetrator. Dr. Damodar Chatterjee, President of the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) Teachers Forum and former IMA Tripura Branch president, described the tragedy as “barbaric” and emphasized the need for nationwide action.
“In solidarity with the victim, we have halted work for 24 hours. While OPD services are paused, emergency services remain operational. Today, we are organizing a protest rally in Agartala city, with full participation from health workers. We hope this will bring about stricter laws and prompt justice for the perpetrator,” Dr. Chatterjee stated.
Dr. Shankar Chakraborty, Medical Superintendent of G.B. Pant Hospital, also voiced his condemnation. “This heinous crime must be condemned in the strongest terms. We have ceased all non-essential activities but continue to provide emergency care. We demand that those responsible face swift justice and are incarcerated.”
The AGMC Teachers Forum, Students Forum, IMA Tripura State Branch, and other medical institutions across the state have joined the protest, underscoring the collective demand for enhanced safety and justice for healthcare workers.
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