New Delhi, August 22, 2024 — Doctors at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have decided to end their 11-day strike, which began in protest against the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. The decision follows an appeal from the Supreme Court earlier today.

The Supreme Court had urged the protesting doctors to resume their duties and assured them that no punitive measures would be taken against them upon their return to work. In response to this intervention, the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association issued a statement on the social media platform X, announcing the end of their strike.

“We are resuming duties following the Supreme Court’s appeal and assurances regarding the RG Kar incident and the safety of doctors,” the association said. “We commend the Court’s action and call for adherence to its directives. Patient care remains our top priority.”

The strike, which began on August 12, saw doctors across the country halt outpatient department (OPD) services, although emergency services continued uninterrupted. The protest was ignited by the tragic assault and murder of a junior doctor, whose body was discovered on August 9 in the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim had suffered severe injuries.

In connection with the case, a civic volunteer has been arrested by the Kolkata Police. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the nation, highlighting concerns over the safety of medical professionals

Date: August 22, 2024

New Delhi – The Supreme Court of India has expressed severe concern over the Kolkata Police’s handling of the investigation into the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Describing the delay in registering the case as “extremely disturbing,” the Court questioned the sequence of legal procedures followed by the police.

During the hearing, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud highlighted a troubling discrepancy: the postmortem of the deceased was conducted on August 9 between 6:10 pm and 7:10 pm, yet the information about the unnatural death was reportedly sent to the Tala police station only at 11:30 pm on the same day. “How was it that the post-mortem was conducted at 6:10 pm and yet the unnatural death information is sent to the police at 11:30 pm? This is extremely disturbing,” remarked the bench, which also included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The Court has directed the Kolkata Police officer who initially recorded the case to appear at the next hearing and clarify the timeline of the case registration. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), revealed that the FIR was registered at 11:45 pm, after the victim had already been cremated. “State police initially told the victim’s parents it was a suicide, then changed the story to murder. The victim’s friend suspected a cover-up and insisted on videography,” Mehta informed the Court.

The Supreme Court also addressed the ongoing protests by doctors. The Court urged protesting doctors to resume their duties, assuring them that no punitive measures would be taken against them upon their return. The bench emphasized the necessity of medical professionals in maintaining public health services, stating, “How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work?” It further encouraged the doctors to bring any further issues to the Court’s attention once they return to work.

In response to the nationwide protests following the brutal assault and murder of the junior doctor, who was found with severe injuries inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI on August 13. The CBI has since commenced its probe on August 14.

New Delhi – The Supreme Court of India has announced plans to constitute a multi-member committee aimed at addressing and resolving the grievances of farmers on a long-term basis. The decision, announced by a bench consisting of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta, and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, is intended to tackle the ongoing issues that have led to significant disruptions, including highway blockades.

During today’s hearing, the Court directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to submit a list of tentative issues concerning farmers to the newly formed committee. This move follows a series of protests and blockades that have impacted major transport routes, including the Shambhu border near Ambala, which has been a focal point of contention since February 13.

The Punjab government reported compliance with the Court’s previous order from August 12, stating that they have engaged with the protesting farmers and agreed to partially open the blocked highway. The Supreme Court had previously emphasized that highways should not be used as parking spaces, urging the Punjab government to facilitate the removal of tractors and trollies from the roads.

The Court has instructed both Punjab and Haryana governments to continue their engagement with the protesting farmers and to encourage them to clear their vehicles from the highways to restore normalcy.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes in response to a plea from the Haryana government challenging a high court order that demanded the removal of barricades erected at the Shambhu border. These barricades were set up in February after farmer groups, including the ‘Samyukta Kisan Morcha’ and ‘Kisan Mazdoor Morcha,’ planned to march to Delhi to advocate for their demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.

The matter will be revisited on September 2, when the Court is expected to review the progress of the committee and further discussions on the farmers’ issues.

Tags: Supreme Court, Farmers’ Grievances, Punjab, Haryana, Highway Blockades, Minimum Support Price, Legal Guarantee, Agricultural Protests