India's doctors go on strike after alleged rape and murder of a colleague

1 of 3 | A one-day strike by Indian medical workers on Saturday is drawing attention to the dangerous working conditions for female doctors and others following the alleged rape and murder of Moumita Debnath. Photo by Jagadeesh Nv/EPA-EFE

The IMA, India's largest organisation of medical professionals, said the apparent crime was an indicator of the “lack of safe spaces for women” in India and the need for the country to better protect women.

“The entire medical community of India is beyond words shocked by the brutal murder of Ms. Moumita Debnath,” IMA General Secretary Dr. Anilkumar Nayak said in a press release.

He said Debnath, 31, was a second-year student and doctor in training at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.

“This heinous crime was committed in the seminar room on the third floor of the campus,” Nayak said. “There is reason to believe that she was raped before the murder.”

Nayak said the alleged crime was “indicative of the anarchy and insecurity prevailing on campus” and the IMA “condemns the existing circumstances that allow this crime to be committed on campus with impunity.”

He said another young doctor was recently stabbed to death in the Taluk Hospital in Kerala.

“The growing evidence of toxic workplace environments for physicians is extremely disturbing,” said Nayak. “Doctors, especially women, are particularly vulnerable to violence due to the nature of their profession.”

“It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety of doctors in hospitals and on campus.”

The IMA calls for an impartial and thorough investigation into Debnath's death, a detailed probe into the circumstances that enabled her attack, and urgent steps to improve the safety of doctors, and especially women, in the workplace.

Debnath's death sparked protests in many parts of India, and a mob ransacked the medical college where Debnath's alleged rape and murder had taken place.

Many doctors have announced that they will not perform any elective surgeries for an extended period of time in response to Debnath's death.

India's Central Bureau of Investigation has questioned possible witnesses and suspects.

Debnath's parents said the hospital where she died tried to portray it as a suicide to cover up the alleged rape and murder.

CBI investigators have questioned more than 30 possible witnesses and suspects and arrested a man named Sanjay Roy as the main suspect on Thursday.

Debnath's parents claim he is a scapegoat to divert blame from the hospital and are convinced that their daughter was the victim of a gang rape and subsequent murder.