Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Junior doctors continue ‘fast unto death’ amid Durga Puja festivities

Junior doctors in West Bengal continue 'fast unto death' protest over colleague's rape and murder, demanding justice and reforms.

The junior doctors, agitating over the rape and murder of their colleague at the R.G. Kar hospital, continued their ‘fast unto death’ for the fifth day on Thursday (October 10, 2024) amid the Durga Puja festivities across West Bengal.

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At 9.30 am, the fast by the nine junior doctors of various medical colleges entered its 108th hour.

The junior doctors began the fast unto death on Saturday (October 5,2024) evening at the Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala in the heart of Kolkata after ending the total cease work that had crippled healthcare services.

Meanwhile, the State government convened a meeting on Wednesday (October 9, 2024) evening with the protestors but failed to break the deadlock.

Following the meeting, which was chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the protesting doctors alleged that they received nothing concrete from the state except “verbal assurances.”

"Our friends have been protesting without food for over four days, and the government says it will consider our demands only in the third week of October, after the pujas. We never expected such insensitivity," said Debasish Halder of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front.