By TC News Desk
Agartala, 17th August 2024 : On Saturday, medical professionals across Tripura participated in a nationwide protest organized by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in response to the recent tragic incident at R.G. Kar Medical College. As part of the protest, non-essential medical services were suspended for 24 hours, beginning at 6 AM on August 17 and continuing until 6 AM on August 18. Emergency services remained unaffected to ensure that critical care was still available.
In various locations throughout the state, doctors, medical staff, and hospital workers demonstrated to express their outrage and call for the swift arrest of the perpetrator involved in the incident. The protests were part of a larger movement that spread across the country, uniting healthcare workers in their demand for justice.
Dr. Damodar Chatterjee, President of the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) Teachers Forum and former President of the IMA Tripura Branch, spoke to reporters about the incident. He described the attack on August 9, which resulted in the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College, as a horrifying act that has shaken the entire medical community. “In solidarity with the victim, we have suspended our services for 24 hours. OPD services are closed at G.B. Pant Hospital Agartala and other healthcare facilities, while emergency services continue. We will also be holding a protest rally in Agartala to demand justice and stricter laws to prevent such incidents from happening again,” he stated.
Dr. Shankar Chakraborty, Medical Superintendent of G.B. Pant Hospital, echoed these sentiments. He condemned the crime as both heinous and barbaric. “We have halted our work today to stand in protest, but emergency services remain operational because patient care is our priority. We demand that the culprit be brought to justice swiftly and that the legal system takes decisive action to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he said.
The protest saw participation from various medical organizations, including the AGMC Teachers Forum, Students Forum, and the IMA Tripura State Branch, as well as both private and government medical institutions across the state.