Kolkata doctor death: Patients dying, Bengal health dept tells Supreme Court

The West Bengal government told the Supreme Court on Monday, 9 September, that 23 people have died as doctors are on strike protesting the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, submitted a status report filed by the state health department before a bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

"A status report has been filed. The state health department has filed a report. Tweny-three people have died as doctors are on strike," Sibal told the bench, also comprising justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The apex court is currently perusing the status report filed by the state and the CBI, as the hearing is underway.

On 22 August, the apex court tore into the Kolkata Police over the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor, who was raped and killed at the R.G. Kar Hospital, calling it "extremely disturbing", and questioned the sequence of events and the timing of its procedural formalities.

The top court had earlier constituted a 10-member national task force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Terming the incident as "horrific", the apex court had excoriated the state government over the delay in filing the FIR and allowing thousands of people to vandalise the state-run facility.

The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests.

The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.

On 13 August, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on 14 August.

More updates to follow.