Striking Indian doctors set to resume essential services

KOLKATA — Striking junior doctors in India's West Bengal state agreed to resume essential services, in a partial resumption of medical facilities, but they will continue their strike over the rape and murder of a colleague over a month ago.

The rape and murder of the 31-year-old female doctor in West Bengal in August set off a wave of protests by doctors demanding greater workplace safety for women and justice for their slain colleague, prompting India's Supreme Court to create a hospital safety task force.

The junior doctors will resume essential duties from Sept 21, the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which represents about 7,000 physicians in the state, said in a statement on Sept 19.

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"The movement for 'justice' will continue in each state-run hospital but we have decided to resume essential services in hospitals due to the flood situation in parts of the state," Dr Aniket Mahato of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front said.

Doctors are demanding better security, including additional CCTV coverage, deployment of female security personnel, adequate lighting, toilets, and resting spaces.

A police volunteer has been arrested in connection with the doctor's rape and death in the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata city, the former principal of the college has been arrested over accusations of evidence tampering and graft, and the police chief of capital Kolkata has been replaced.

Although tougher laws were introduced after the 2012 gruesome gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in national capital New Delhi, activists say the Kolkata case shows how women in the country continue to suffer from sexual violence.

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