The rape and killing of a trainee physician at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked intense demonstrations, and the Indian Supreme Court has responded forcefully. A 10-person National Task Force was formed by the Court on Tuesday in order to create a comprehensive strategy that would guarantee the protection and safety of medical professionals nationwide.
The West Bengal administration received harsh criticism for the way it handled the matter, which led to the Supreme Court’s ruling. The Court denounced the miscreants’ continued destruction at the hospital and their failure to file a formal complaint, both of which were allowed to continue. This condemnation included criticism of Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, for initially misclassifying the death as a suicide and delaying the release of the victim’s body to her family, as well as a rebuke of the police for their apparent failure to maintain order and protect the crime scene.
The Supreme Court has asked the West Bengal government to provide a report on the steps taken to apprehend the vandals and has instructed the Central Bureau of probe (CBI) to submit a status report on its continuing probe into the murder. In order to guarantee that medical personnel can return to their work without additional interference, the court also ordered the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to be stationed at the hospital.
Under the direction of Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, the task team has three weeks to produce an interim report. This group will carry out a security audit of several AIIMS campuses as well as other healthcare facilities, evaluating the effectiveness of current safety precautions and suggesting new ones as necessary.
The Supreme Court has called attention to systemic problems pertaining to healthcare workers’ safety, pointing out that many hospitals have subpar working facilities, such as inadequate duty rooms and restrooms. The Court stressed how the existing state of affairs jeopardizes women’s safety and equality at work.
The West Bengal administration has responded by disputing the claims of improper handling, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said that the offender was promptly detained by the police. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered that the cops ought to have known about and controlled the sizable crowd that gathered at the hospital.
The West Bengal government has been advised by the court to manage nonviolent protests tactfully and refrain from retaliating against demonstrators with force. On August 9, the corpse of the trainee physician was found with significant injuries, and a community volunteer has been taken into custody in relation to the incident.
SOURCE :
HINDUSTAN TIMES
